Whole Masoor Dal | Brown Lentils Curry - Instant Pot

Whole Masoor Dal (Brown Lentils Curry) is a nutritious and easy-to-make dish prepared in an Instant Pot pressure cooker with whole masoor dal, onions, tomatoes, and aromatic Indian spices. This vegan and gluten-free dal pairs perfectly with rice, quinoa, or roti.

I love making dals for everyday meals as they are a rich source of protein for a plant-based diet. Along with dal tadka, red lentils dal, moong dal, I also make whole masoor dal (sabut masoor dal) on a regular basis.

I also like to add greens like palak (spinach) or kale, and make the dal extra nutritious. It is also known as 'Masoor palak' or 'brown lentils curry with spinach. Pairs well with basmati rice, quinoa, or roti.

What are Whole Masoor Dal (Brown Lentils)?

Masoor dal is a lentil that is brown-skinned on the outside and orange on the inside. They are known as Sabut Masoor Dal in Hindi or Brown Lentils in English. Their split variety is known as red lentils or masoor dal.

They hold their shape very well while cooking and turn creamy and thick when cooked, making them perfect for main dishes such as lentil curry, soups, stews, rice dishes, and salads. Check out my masoor dal salad, lentil soup, and mujadara.

How to Make Whole Masoor Dal (Brown Lentils) in Instant Pot

Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat 1 tablespoon oil, and add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Let them splutter. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and ginger, 1 green chili (chopped), and 1 medium onion (finely chopped). Saute till the onions turn light brown.

Add 2 medium tomatoes (finely chopped), spices like ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, and salt. Cook till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy, which takes 2-3 minutes.

Then add 1 cup rinsed lentils, 2 ½ cups water water, and give a stir. Adjust spices at this stage. Also, Deglaze the pot to ensure no food particles stick to the bottom to avoid the Burn message.

Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 15 minutes.

When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure before removing the lid.

Lastly, squeeze the juice of half a lime and 2 tablespoons of coriander leaves. Mix well.

Instant pot pressure cooker Whole masoor dal (brown lentils) is ready. Serve hot with steamed rice, quinoa, roti, or serve it as a soup.

Storage Suggestions

• Refrigerate: Store the leftover brown lentil curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: You can store the whole masoor dal in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to three months in the freezer.
• Reheat: Reheat masoor dal tadka with some water on the stovetop or in the microwave oven. Defrost if frozen before reheating.

Tips & Variations

1. Soaking Lentils: If you soak the dal in water for 30 mins - 1 hour, it helps to cook lentils even faster.
2. Other Lentils: You can adapt the same recipe using whole green lentils (moong dal). Follow the same instructions, and the cooking time remains the same.
3. Pot-in-Pot: If you want to do pot-in-pot with brown rice, then soak the brown rice in warm water for an hour and then cook on high pressure for 15 minutes with a Natural Pressure Release (NPR).
4. Adjust Consistency: If your dal is thick, you can add some water and adjust the consistency.
5. No Onion-No Garlic: For a variation, you can also make this dal by skipping onion, and garlic.
6. Leafy Greens: You can also add some leafy greens like baby spinach, kale, and mustard leaves after pressure cooking.

More Pressure Cooker Indian Lentil Recipes

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