Instant Pot Dal
Instant Pot Dal is an easy, healthy, and delicious weeknight dinner! Made with diced tomatoes, moong dal, a few hidden veggies, and Indian spices, it's a nutritious dish with only 25 minutes of hands-on time. A one-pot family-friendly meal!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 135kcal
Ingredients
- 1 small red onion diced
- 15 oz petite diced tomatoes 1 can
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cup Moong Dal
- ¼ tsp hing
- 1½ tsp salt
- 16 oz bag cauliflower florets
- 8 oz bag baby carrots
- 1 red/orange/yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Turn your instant pot to sauté on high
- Add 1 tsp coconut oil and let the oil warm up. Add cumin seeds & mustard seeds and cook 30 seconds until they pop. Add 1 more tsp coconut oil, and then add in onion, tomatoes, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is cooked through and translucent.
- Then add the remaining ingredients (Moong dal through water) and hit the "Cancel" button. Mix to combine.
- Cover the Instant Pot with the lid, and make sure the pressure valve is closed. Pressure Cook on High and set the cooking time to 15 minutes. Allow for natural release before opening.
- Optional: Add chopped fresh cilantro when cooking is complete!
Notes
Storage Directions
- Storing: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Cool the dal to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover dal in the microwave on medium heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between heating, until it is heated through. Use a microwave-safe container and lightly cover it. When reheating from frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
- Freezing: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow the dal to cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container.
- Start off by sautéing some of the oil with the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Allowing the whole spices time to heat and break open to release the most flavor. Adjust the temperature of the sauté setting as needed to avoid burning the spices or vegetables. If you’re cooking at a lower temperature or on the stovetop it may take a couple of minutes for the spices to break open.
- I love adding in a few extra vegetables that are leftover from other recipes to prevent food waste, so you can vary the vegetables the next time you make this recipe depending on what you have on hand.
- Allow time for the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure after cooking instead of using the quick-release function. How long this takes will depend on your specific instant pot but plan to allow at least 15-20 minutes for this step. The dal will continue to cook and soften during this time, so be careful not to let the pot sit for a long time before opening or your dal will overcook.
- If you’re shopping at an international grocery store, there will be a large selection of split legumes to choose from. In other grocery stores, dal may be sold under a variety of names including toor dal, arhar dal, yellow split pigeon pea, or split legumes.
Nutrition
Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.3g | Protein: 7.8g | Fat: 2.4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 414mg | Fiber: 6.5g | Sugar: 6.1g