Instant Pot Lentil Dal Recipe {Indian Lentils}

Make a big batch of this vegan Instant Pot Lentil Dal and enjoy it for meatless lunches and dinners the rest of the week. 177 calories and 2 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

When I first bought a pressure cooker, my initial cooking goal was to make a killer Instant Pot lentil dal. A year and half later, after many batches of Instant Pot Lentil Soup, chicken stew and applesauce, I finally got around to making my first dal recipe.

These Indian spiced lentils, also known as masoor dal, are a breeze to make, particularly with my “cheat” ingredient. The leftovers keep well in the fridge, making them the perfect make-ahead option for quick vegan meals throughout the week. Just add a little extra vegetable broth when reheating.

What is lentil dal?

• Dal, also known as dhal, dahl or daal, refers to both the main ingredient and the dish itself.
• The ingredient is a type of split pea or a certain type of lentil. The dish is a spiced dish that is simmered for a long time until the peas or lentils become very soft.
• There is a huge range of dals, depending on the main ingredient. For example, this version is made of split red lentils, also know as masoor dal. Other examples are urad dal (black lentils), toor dal (pigeon peas) and channa dal (chipckpeas).
• Split red lentils can be found in some grocery stores, in Indian markets and on Amazon (affiliate link).

How to make dal in an Instant Pot:

• The Instant Pot (affiliate link) and other pressure cookers are ideal for cooking dried pulses of any kind, ranging from split peas to black beans. They cook at high pressure, breaking down and cooking the pulses quickly, often eliminating the need for pre-soaking.
• In this recipe, I set the Instant Pot to the Sauté setting, then cooked some onion, fresh ginger, garlic, spices and curry paste (affiliate) in some ghee or coconut oil.
• Is curry paste necessary for making a dal? Absolutely not. Traditionally, dals are made with a variety of spices. Curry paste is my “cheat” for making this recipe extra speedy to put together.
• Next, the coconut milk and vegetable broth are whisked with curry paste mixture, then the red lentils are added.
• Using the Manual setting, cook the dal at high pressure for 8 minutes. Because of the amount of liquid in this recipe, it will take about 20 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.
• Release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then switch to quick release.
• Serve right away with basmati rice and chutney, if desired. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. When reheating, you may need to add some additional vegetable broth to loosen up the mixture.

Are red lentils good for you?

• Lentils are little powerhouses of nutrition! One cup of cooked red lentils contains 230 calories. And believe me, one cup will leave you feeling very satisfied.
• Each cup of cooked lentils contains about 18 grams of protein, making them a fantastic option for vegetarian and vegan diets.
• They are rich in fiber, folate, iron and manganese.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I’ll be sure to find it.

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Instant Pot Lentil Dal (Indian Lentils)

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 12 mins

Total Time 47 mins

Make a big batch of this vegan Instant Pot Lentil Dal and enjoy it for meatless lunches and dinners the rest of the week. 177 calories and 2 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

Yields 8 cups

Ingredients

• 2 tsp ghee (non-vegan) or coconut oil (vegan)*
• ½ medium yellow onion, minced
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup mild curry paste**
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 (14 oz.) can lite coconut milk
• 5 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 ½ cups split red lentils (masoor dal)
• Salt, to taste

Directions

1. Set the Instant Pot to the Saute setting. Heat the ghee or coconut oil. Add the onion and ginger. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, curry paste, coriander and cumin, and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the Instant Pot.
3. Whisk in the coconut milk and vegetable broth, then stir in the red lentils.
4. Put the lid on the Instant Pot, close the steam vent and set to HIGH pressure using the manual setting. Decrease the time to 8 minutes. It will take about 20 minutes for the Instant Pot to reach pressure.
5. Once the time is expired, wait for 10 minutes, then carefully use the quick release valve to release the remaining pressure.
6. Season with salt, to taste.
7. Serve or store in the fridge.

by From the kitchen of cookincanuck.com

Recipe Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 2 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 5 (Old SmartPoints), 4 (Points+)

*The nutritional information was calculated using ghee, but it is nearly identical (and Weight Watchers Points are the same) when coconut oil is used.

**For a spicier dal, use spicy curry paste or add some cayenne pepper.