Whole Masoor Dal Recipe
Blog: cookingwithnelo.com
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) whole masoor dal - rinsed 3 to 4 times, then drained (Note A)
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste - preferably homemade
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste - preferably homemade
- ¼ cup fried onions
- 1 small (80 g) tomato - finely chopped, I use Roma tomatoes
- 1 chicken cube - aka chicken bouillon cube
- ¼ cup (60 g) yogurt - whisked until smooth
- a small lump or briquette of charcoal - for smoking, roughly a 2 to 3 inch piece
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro - aka coriander/dhaniya
Spice Mix
- 1 tablespoon seekh kabab masala powder - (Note B)
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi - aka dried fenugreek leaves
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder - aka dhaniya powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder - aka zeera powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder - adjust to taste ⓘ
- ½ teaspoon regular white salt - aka table salt
- 1 small bay leaf - aka taiz patta
- 2 whole black cardamoms - aka bari elaichi
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine all ingredients listed under "spice mix". Set it aside.
- Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode on the "Normal" setting and heat the oil.
- Add garlic paste, ginger paste, fried onions, chopped tomato, and ¼ cup water. Cook until the tomato breaks down and the oil starts to separate. Add a couple tablespoons of water if it starts sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Next, add the prepared spice mix and cook for 2 minutes. Keep stirring so the spices don’t burn. If they start catching on the bottom, add a tablespoon of water.
- Add the drained masoor dal along with 3 cups water and the chicken cube.
- Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. When the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes, then quick-release the remaining pressure. Stir in the whisked yogurt while the Instant Pot is still turned off. See Note C for stovetop pressure cooker instructions.
- Heat the charcoal until it’s red. Put a small metal bowl or foil cup in the center of the pot, resting on the dal. Carefully place the hot charcoal in the bowl with a pair of metal tongs.
- Pour about a teaspoon of cooking oil over the charcoal, then cover the pot right away. Let the dal smoke for 2 minutes. Don’t leave it covered much longer than that.
- Remove the bowl and the coal. Set your Instant Pot to Sauté mode on "less/low" setting. Mix the dal and let it heat through.
- Add lemon juice and chopped cilantro and give it a stir. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. I garnish the dal with some extra cilantro for a little pop of color. Serve with hot naan or roti.
Notes
Note A: Masoor dal – alternate names include sabut masoor dal, Indian brown lentils, akha masoor, kala or kali masoor. It looks like tiny brown pebbles. Don't use the orange-colored, skinless masoor. Dal that is very old will not cook to a soft, creamy texture, even after pressure cooking.
Note B: Seekh kabab masala – I use Shan Seekh Kabab or Tikka Seekh Masala powder (no affiliation with them). Haven’t tried any other brands, but I’d expect them to work just as well.
Note C: Pressure cooker instructions –If you’re using a traditional stovetop pressure cooker, start timing 25 minutes once it reaches full pressure. Then reduce the heat just enough to keep the pressure steady and gentle. When the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes, then quick-release the remaining pressure.