Easy Toor Dal
Toor Dal or split pigeon peas cooked with spices to a creamy and mushy consistency. Pairs well with rice, Naan and Rotis.
Servings: 4
Calories: 673kcal
Equipment
- 1 6 quart Instant Pot
- 1 set measuring spoons and cups
Ingredients
For soaking Toor Dal
- 3/4 cup Toor Dal pigeon pea lentils
- 2 cups warm water
For Instant Pot Toor Dal
- 1 tbsp peanut oil or any neutral vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 green chilis
- 3 Kashmiri chilis
- 1 tbsp grated garlic
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup low fat coconut milk please note that coconut cream cannot be used here.
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Instant Pot Toor Dal
- Place the Toor Dal in a colander. Wash well until water runs clear. Add the washed toor dal to a mixing bowl along with 2 cups warm water. Let it soak for 30 mins.
- Place the inner pot into the Instant Pot. Press SAUTE mode and set it to NORMAL for 10 mins. Add oil and allow it to heat up for 1 min. When the display reads HOT, add cumin seeds, red and green chilis.
- Drain the Toor dal in a colander and set aside to allow the water to drain completely.
- Allow the cumin to crackle. At this point, add the garlic and wait for the garlic to begin to brown. Tip in the ground spices along with the salt.
- Quickly tip in the soaked dal along with water. Mix well. Add coconut milk and stir to combine. Press CANCEL.
- Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid. Close the Instant Pot and turn the VALVE to SEALING.
- Press PRESSURE COOK, set the pressure to HIGH and the timer to 12 minutes. Allow the cooking cycle to complete. When done, wait for the pressure to release NATURALLY.
- As soon as pressure releases, open the lid. Mash the cooked dal with a spatula. Add the remaining water to adjust the consistency. Add chopped cilantro. Now, press SAUTE and allow to simmer for 2 to 3 mins.
- Finish with lemon juice. Serve with rice and a vegetable curry by the side.
Notes
This dal is batch cooking friendly and freezes easily.
Since I wanted to keep it vegan, I used peanut oil. You can also use Ghee for an indulgent treat.
The cooking time for Toor Dal differs based on how old the crop is. The older the lentils, the more time it needs to cook. Soaking the Dal is a sure fire way to make sure that the dal is cooked to perfection, regardless of the quality of the Dal.
This is a very forgiving recipe. Since the Dal is cooked to a mush, there is no way of going wrong with the texture, making it perfect for pot in pot cooking. You can cook brown basmati, brown rice or regular medium grained rice along with this. Just follow the timings you need to cook the rice.
Since I wanted to keep it vegan, I used peanut oil. You can also use Ghee for an indulgent treat.
The cooking time for Toor Dal differs based on how old the crop is. The older the lentils, the more time it needs to cook. Soaking the Dal is a sure fire way to make sure that the dal is cooked to perfection, regardless of the quality of the Dal.
This is a very forgiving recipe. Since the Dal is cooked to a mush, there is no way of going wrong with the texture, making it perfect for pot in pot cooking. You can cook brown basmati, brown rice or regular medium grained rice along with this. Just follow the timings you need to cook the 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 673kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 829mg | Potassium: 218mg | Fiber: 27g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 482IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 6mg
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