Dal is a staple in most Indian kitchens. Today I bring you my family’s recipe for Instant Pot Gujarati Dal straight from our kitchen! Made of hearty lentils, this dish is a fabulous source of protein + fiber. There are so many variations of dal but the one thing they all have in common is that they pair well with vegetables + rice. Different regions of India + different families all have their own special variation of a dal recipe. They differ in the spices added, and the type of dal (split peas) used as the base. One thing that remains consistent with dal is that it is a very comforting + nourishing food + is eaten regularly in Indian homes.
Tara’s Tips For Perfect Instant Pot Gujarati Dal:
What is Dal?
- Lentil soup or stew made of split lentils or pigeon peas. Dal is actually a blank canvas for whatever spices you desire, pairings, and even what bean or pea you make the base with.
What is Toor Dal?
- The lentil base of this dal recipe. Skinned + split pigeon peas. You might also see these labeled as tuvar or toovar dal, split pigeon peas, or Indian lentils.
Why is it called Gujarati Dal?
- The state of Gujarat is in western India. This particular dal is a typical dal made by Gujarati families. It is unique in that we add the jaggery (sugar) to give a slight hint of sweetness alongside the tempered spices, sometimes a touch of sour, and usually a handful of peanuts at the end.
Where to find the ingredients?
- This is a very authentic dish. If you are not familiar with cooking with these ingredients, that is ok! They are all easy to find at any Indian grocery store, some can be found at Whole Foods, and almost all on Amazon. Be sure to use toor dal for this recipe, don’t substitute whole lentils, you will not get the same results.
No Instant Pot? No problem!
- If you do not have an Instant Pot, you can use a traditional pressure cooker and be sure to count 4 whistles then remove from heat, and the remaining instructions are the same.
What to eat with dal?
- Rice! Traditionaly referred to as Dal Bhat (dal with rice). You could also eat this with roti or chapati or any of your favorite vegetables prepared with Indian spices. Try my recipe for Perfect Basmati Rice or Rice Flour Rotli.
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Instant Pot Gujarati Dal
May 19, 2022
: 8 cups
Traditional Gujarati Dal made in your Instant Pot!</p> <p>So aromatic and flavorful, packed with protein, and absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
- 4 cups toor dal
- 6 cups water
- 4 tomatoes (cut into quarters, I prefer Roma tomatoes) plus 2 cups diced (total 7 tomatoes needed)
- 4 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp avocado oil
- 7 dried red chili pepper
- 2 tsp mustard seed
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp methi (dried whole fenugreek seeds)
- 3 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp red chili pepper powder
- 2 tsp dhana jeera (replace with one tsp cumin powder plus one tsp coriander powder if you do not have dhana jeera powder)
- 1 tbsp jaggery
- optional: 1 tsp athano masala powder
- 1 tbsp dal masala powder
- 1/4 cup peanuts (optional)
- shopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Directions
- Step 1 Place 4 cups rinsed toor dal on a plate, remove any browned peas or imperfections, rinse until clear, place in a glass bowl, cover with water, soak for 4 hours, drain water, rinse dal again.
- Step 2 After dal is soaked, place in Instant Pot with water, 1 tsp turmeric, and the 4 quartered tomatoes. Secure the lid on to the Instant Pot, set the valve to the ‘seal position’, set the timer to 15 minutes on the ‘manual’ setting. After the 15 minute timer is up, allow the pressure to release naturally, this typically takes around 30 minutes.
- Step 3 While the toor dal cooks in the Instant Pot, heat 1 tbsp avocado oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat, once hot add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and dried chilis to the pan. Allow them to heat until the mustard seeds ‘pop’ and the cumin seeds sizzle. Next, add the methi to the same pan and give everything a gentle stir.
- Step 4 To the same pan add the chopped tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and gently stir. Then, stir in the turmeric. Lower the heat to medium-low, place the cover on. You want to cook the tomatoes here until they ‘melt’. This usually takes about 5 minutes. Remove the cover and stir the tomatoes about every minute. Use the back of the spoon to ‘smash’ the tomatoes down so that they lose their form. If they begin to stick to the pan, add a tablespoon of water at a time to prevent sticking.
- Step 5 Once they are melted down, add the dhana jeera powder (or cumin and coriander powders separately), and give everything a good stir until fully combined. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
- Step 6 Once the toor dal is done in the Instant Pot, use an immersion blender to carefully blend the toor dal into a thick liquid consistency. You do not want any texture or lumps.
- Step 7 Add the tomato mixture from the stove-top into the pot of the Instant Pot containing the blended toor dal. Now add in the athano masala powder, jaggery, dal powder, and peanuts (if using). Leaving the lid off, set the Instant Pot to ‘saute’ and allow the dal to simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. If you have a clear cover that came with your Instant Pot you can place that on to prevent splashing but do not use the sealing cover during this time.
- Step 8 After 15 minutes, taste salt and spice level adding pepper for more spice or salt for increase saltiness. Peanuts? Serve with whatever rice or vegetables you choose. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves to taste. This makes a lot of dal. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. In a sealed glass container or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
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