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Home » Recipes » Indian Vegan Recipes

Instant Pot Whole Masoor Dal – Brown Lentils Curry

Last Modified: May 30, 2021

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HOW TO COOK KALI MASOOR DAL IN INSTANT POT?

Wholesome, nutritious and creamy whole brown Masoor dal cooked in the Instant Pot. This makes for a satisfying meal when served with steamed rice or Rotis. 

Instant pot whole masoor dal served in a black bowl with steamed rice and salad

Why we love Instant Pot Whole Masoor Dal?

✓ Whole Masoor Dal is just what we love on a day when comfort food is on the mind.

✓ This is a naturally vegan and gluten-free Dhal curry.

What is Masoor Dal?

Known as brown lentils, whole Masoor Dal is not only protein-rich but has a creamy buttery texture.  We also refer to this as Black Masoor Dal, Kali Masoor Dal or Sabut Masoor Dal in Hindi. In Tamil, we call this Mysore Paruppu. This makes it the perfect partner for flatbreads like Mint Paratha. 

Jump to:
  • What is Masoor Dal?
  • Pot in Pot Cooking in Instant Pot
  • Ingredients
  • Meal Planning, Freezing and Prep
  • Freezing Whole Masoor Dal
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Paratha Recipes
  • Mealthy Whole Masoor Dal
  • Pressure cooker whole Masoor Dal
  • Whole black Masoor Dal water ratio 
  • How to cook Masoor Dal in Instant Pot? – Method
  • Instant Pot Masoor Dal- Recipe Card
  • 📖 Recipe
  • More Dal Recipes

Pot in Pot Cooking in Instant Pot

The best thing about owning a 6 qt IP is that you can use the pot in pot method to cook two or sometimes even three dishes in one go.

In this post, I have shown how to cook the brown lentils curry and some basmati rice in the IP together using the pot in pot method. 

So what exactly is Pot in Pot Cooking?

This is a cooking method in which we will be using another pot inside the inner pot of the IP to cook another dish. To do this, we will place a tall trivet inside the IP. And then, we will use another IP-compatible pot to cook our second dish. I highly recommend using food-grade stainless steel pots for all your pot in pot cooking. In India, we get something called cooker separators. These are used in traditional pressure cookers. You can use the same to cook in your Instant Pot too.

Pot in Pot method to cook Masoor Dal and Basmati Rice

As i mentioned, we will be cooking the Masoor dal curry and some Basmati rice in one go. Here are some key things to note before we begin pot in pot cooking.

Masoor dal and basmati rice vary in cooking time. So we need to balance that out. To do this, we need to soak the whole Masoor dal for an hour. Soaking the lentils reduces cooking time drastically.

At the same time, Basmati rice tends to cook to a mush very quickly. So in this recipe, we are not going to be soaking the rice like we did for our Instant Pot Spinach Pulao. Instead, we will simply wash the rice, add water and salt and cook it like any short-grained rice. If you soak Basmati, then it will be cooked to a mush. Following this method means you will have beautifully cooked separate fluffy grains of rice.

pot in pot cooking in instant pot- rice and whole masoor dal

Ingredients

For the pressure cooker whole Masoor Dal

Whole Masoor Dal- Known as brown lentils, these are creamy and buttery just like our Moong Beans. These lentils are our primary ingredient in this recipe.

Onions, Tomatoes, Ginger and Garlic- All these four form the base of any Indian curry. While tomatoes are not added in a traditional Masoor dal recipe, we love the tanginess. So I went ahead anyway. Lentils, on the whole, are gassy foods. They cause flatulence and bloating in some people. To keep these at bay, we are using ginger and garlic. 

Aromatics- Our Instant pot whole Masoor Dal curry uses the most basic Indian spices – Ground coriander, ground paprika, ground turmeric, and Garam Masala. In case you do not have Garam Masala, substitute it with curry powder. Try the Madras Curry powder!

For the rice

Basmati rice- We love eating this fragrant rice variety with any Dal. Other varieties of rice that pairs well with this Masoor dal- Regular raw rice, Rosematta rice and Gobindobhog rice. Surti Kolam works well too.

Water and Salt- Both are essential. I like adding salt to my Basmati rice. It is just a personal preference. You can skip the salt too, if you like.

Meal Planning, Freezing and Prep

Meal Planning

If you plan on making this over the week, I suggest that you soak the Masoor dal for an hour, drain the water and store the soaked dal in a fridge-safe glass container. This keeps well for upto 2 days. In case you want to store it longer, then I recommend freezing the soaked lentils.

Freezing Whole Masoor Dal

Alternatively, you can cook this dal entirely and freeze the cooked dal too. You can easily double this recipe. To freeze the Instant pot whole masoor dal, cook the recipe according to the instructions. Let it cool down. Once cool, divide into portions and transfer to freezer-friendly containers or silicon bags. Freeze. 

Frozen whole masoor dal keeps well in the freezer for up to 1 month. 

Before you are ready to enjoy this frozen Masoor dal, let it thaw for at least 2 hours at room temperature or for 4 hours in the fridge. You can also use the microwave to defrost the Masoor dal. When thawed, add the portion of dal to a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Serve hot with rice or Rotis.

Prep Work

Assuming you are making this curry right away, begin your prep by soaking the lentils first. Towards the end of the soaking time, chop the onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic. Then you will be all set.

Serving Suggestions

Instant pot whole masoor dal served in a black bowl with steamed rice and salad

There are two ways to go about enjoying some whole Masoor dal. One is to serve it with any carbs of your choice. Think steamed rice or regular Rotis or even some Parathas.

And then, you can serve this without any carbs for an ideal low-carb meal. Add finely chopped cucumbers, grated beets and carrots as toppings. Finish with a big scoop of greek yogurt or vegan cashew yogurt. And there, your fancy Masoor dal is ready!

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    Rajma Paratha- Stuffed Rajma Cheese Paratha
  • Gobi ke Paratha- Indian style cauliflower stuffed flatbreads served with mixed pickles placed in a small white and green dip bowl, placed on the top.
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Mealthy Whole Masoor Dal

You can make this recipe in a regular pressure cooker too or in your Mealthy Mulitpot. 

To make this in the Mealthy, use the same timings and settings like Instant Pot.

Pressure cooker whole Masoor Dal

If you do not have an electric pressure cooker, you can still make it in a regular stovetop PC too. Heat a heavy bottomed pressure pan with the oil. Crackle the cumin seeds, add the ginger and garlic along with the green chili. Saute till garlic begins to brown. Now add the onions and salt. Saute and cook till onions become soft. When they are soft, add the spice powders, mix well and cook on low flame for 20 secs. Next, add the finely chopped tomatoes and stir well. Cook till tomatoes turn mushy. Tip in the soaked lentils along with water. Mix well. Pressure cook for 6 whistles on medium flame. Allow pressure to release naturally. When the pressure releases, open and mash the lentils lightly. Simmer for 2 mins on medium flame. Garnish with coriander leaves, ginger juliennes and finely chopped green chili.

Whole black Masoor Dal water ratio 

In this recipe, I have used 1:3 ratio for cooking the brown lentils. This was just perfect for our liking. We love our Dal to be creamy and thick. So this proportion worked very well for us. You can also add 3.5 c water if you like a thinner Dal. 

I will not recommend using less water than mentioned here for two reasons. The first is that the dal will not cook. The second is that you will likely get a burn signal on your IP. 

How to cook Masoor Dal in Instant Pot? – Method

Soaking the Masoor Dal

Wash the whole masoor dal thoroughly under running water. Drain all the water used for washing. Add 2 c water to this and let it soak for 1 hour.

 

Making Instant Pot Whole Masoor Dal

Place the inner pot in the IP. Turn on saute mode on normal in the IP for 9 mins. Now add the oil. When the display reads hot, add cumin seeds and green chili. Once the cumin seeds crackle, add the ginger and garlic. Mix well and saute for 1 min. Now, add the finely chopped onions and salt. Mix well and saute till onions become soft. Add all the spice powders and mix well. At this stage, add the finely chopped tomatoes and mix well.

Continue to cook till tomatoes turn mushy. This takes 3 mins. Drain the water from the soaked lentils. Add the soaked lentils to the pot along with 3 c water. Mix well.

Turn off the saute mode.

Pot In Pot Cooking along with Basmati rice

Place a trivet inside the pot. To another stainless steel pot, add and wash the basmati rice under running water 2 times. Drain all the water used for washing. Add salt and 2 c of water to the washed rice. Place the rice pot on the trivet and close the rice pot. Close the lid of the IP and turn the valve to sealing. Turn on Pressure cook mode on high for 10 mins. Allow the cooking cycle to complete. Wait for the pressure to release naturally.

Once done, switch off the IP.

Simmering

Open the lid, remove the cooked rice and the trivet. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork.

pot in pot cooking in instant pot- rice and whole masoor dal

Using a ladle, mash the lentils gently. Turn on saute mode on high for 2 mins and allow the curry to simmer. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves, ginger juliennes and finely chopped green chili. Mix well and serve hot with the cooked rice.

Instant pot whole masoor dal served with airfryer cauliflower and steamed rice

Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for regular cooking updates and short videos. Find us on  Pinterest for delicious content. Tried our Instant Pot Whole Masoor Dal? We value your thoughts and comments! Leave a comment and tell us how it worked for you. Email us your questions to anusapraj@gmail.com if you need any guidance in making this curry.

Instant Pot Masoor Dal- Recipe Card

📖 Recipe

Instant pot whole masoor dal served with airfryer cauliflower and steamed rice
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Whole Masoor Dal

Whole Masoor Dal curry made with brown lentils. Creamy, wholesome and nutritious Dhal curry. Makes a great weeknight dinner.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Resting Time25 mins
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Indian, North Indian
Servings: 4 persons

Equipment

  • Instant Pot 6 qt

Ingredients

For soaking the lentils

  • 1 c Whole Masoor Dal Brown lentils
  • 2 c Water

For the Instant Pot Whole Masoor Dal

  • 1.5 tablespoon Rice bran oil
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds
  • 1 slit Green chili
  • 1 tbsp Finely chopped garlic
  • 1.5 teaspoon Grated ginger
  • 1 c Finely chopped onions
  • 2 teaspoon Salt or to taste
  • 1.5 teaspoon Ground coriander
  • 1.5 teaspoon Ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 1 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 c Finely chopped tomatoes
  • 1 recipe Soaked masoor dal
  • 3 c Water

For garnishing

  • 1 tsp Ginger juliennes
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chili
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

To serve

  • 1 c Basmati rice
  • 2 c Water
  • 1 teaspoon Salt

Instructions

Soaking the Masoor Dal

  • Wash the whole masoor dal thoroughly under running water.
  • Drain all the water used for washing.
  • Add 2 c water to this and let it soak for 1 hour.

Making Instant Pot Whole Masoor Dal

  • Place the inner pot in the IP.
  • Turn on saute mode on normal in the IP for 9 mins.
  • Now add the oil.
  • When the display reads hot, add cumin seeds and green chili.
  • Once the cumin seeds crackle, add the ginger and garlic.
  • Mix well and saute for 1 min.
  • Now, add the finely chopped onions and salt.
  • Mix well and saute till onions become soft.
  • Add all the spice powders and mix well.
  • At this stage, add the finely chopped tomatoes and mix well.
  • Continue to cook till tomatoes turn mushy. This takes 3 mins.
  • Drain the water from the soaked lentils.
  • Add the soaked lentils to the pot along with 3 c water.
  • Mix well.
  • Turn off the saute mode.

Pot In Pot Cooking along with Basmati rice

  • Place a trivet inside the pot.
  • To another stainless steel pot, add and wash the basmati rice under running water for 2 times.
  • Drain all the water used for washing.
  • Add salt and 2 c water to the washed rice.
  • Place the rice pot on the trivet and close the rice pot.
  • Close the lid of the IP and turn valve to sealing.
  • Turn on Pressure cook mode on high for 10 mins.
  • Allow the cooking cycle to complete.
  • Wait for the pressure to release naturally.
  • Once done, switch off the IP.
  • Open the lid, remove the cooked rice and the trivet.
    pot in pot cooking in instant pot- rice and whole masoor dal
  • Fluff the cooked rice with a fork.
  • Using a ladle, mash the lentils gently.
  • Turn on saute mode on high for 2 mins and allow the curry to simmer.
  • Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves, ginger juliennes and finely chopped green chili.
  • Mix well and serve hot with the cooked rice.
    Instant pot whole masoor dal served with airfryer cauliflower and steamed rice

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

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Hi! I m Anusha. A very warm welcome to my blog Tomato Blues. I m an advocate by profession and chose to become a food blogger later. I live in Singapore with my husband and daughter. Tomato Blues – About The Author

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