Whole Masoor Dal | Brown Lentils - Instant Pot/Stovetop

Whole Masoor Dal (Brown Lentils Curry) recipe is a healthy and easy dal made in an Instant Pot pressure cooker with whole masoor dal, onions, tomatoes, and Indian spices. This dal is vegan, gluten-free, and pairs well with rice, quinoa, roti.

I love making dals for everyday meals as they are a rich source of protein for a plant-based diet. 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'.

If you love Lentils & Beans and looking for more Instant Pot Indian Recipes? Here are my 30+ Instant Pot lentils & Beans Recipes you must try.

What are Whole Masoor Dal (Brown Lentils)?

Masoor dal is a lentil that is brown-skinned from 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 to be served as the main dishes such as lentil curry (dal), soups, stews, and salads.

Brown lentils are rich in proteins, fiber and contain essential amino acids. They also contain potassium, copper, manganese, iron, vitamin B1, pantothenic acid, zinc, and vitamin B6.

Whole Masoor Dal Ingredients

• Lentils: I have used Whole masoor dal (Brown Lentils) in this recipe. They are available in any Indian grocery stores and on Amazon. I did not soak the lentils before cooking.
• Oil: use any cooking oil. You can also use ghee if you are not a vegan.
• Cumin seeds (jeera): Cumin seeds are a must in any Indian dal tempering so do not skip it.
• Ginger and Garlic: I have fresh minced ginger and garlic in this recipe. You can also use store brought ginger-garlic paste.
• Green chilies: I have used 1 Thai green chili, however, you can skip to reduce the heat.
• Onion: I have used finely chopped onions. You can skip onion for no onion recipe variation.
• Tomato: I have used chopped fresh Roma tomatoes.
• Spices: I have used turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala. You can increase or decrease the spices according to your choice.
• Water: lentil to water ratio - I have used 2.5 cups of water for 1 cup of whole masoor dal.
• Lime juice: Use freshly squeezed lime juice for the best flavor.
• Coriander leaves: I have used coriander leaves for garnish.

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

Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil, and once it's hot, add cumin seeds. Let them splutter. Add minced garlic, ginger, green chilies, onions and saute till the onions turn light brown.

Add tomatoes, spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt, and cook till tomatoes turn soft, which takes 2-3 minutes.

Then add rinsed lentils (dal), water, and give a stir. Adjust spices at this stage. Also, Deglaze the pot to make sure no food particle sticks to the bottom to avoid the Burn message.

Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes.

Once the pot beeps, let it release the pressure naturally (NPR) for 10 minutes.

Lastly, squeeze some lime juice, add coriander leaves. Mix well. Instant pot pressure cooker Whole masoor dal (brown lentils) recipe is ready. Serve hot with steamed rice, quinoa, roti, or serve it as a soup.

Stovetop Pressure Cooker

Follow the steps from the instant pot instructions. Give 4-5 whistles on medium flame and let the pressure release naturally. All the other steps remain the same.

Stovetop Pot

If you don't have a pressure cooker and plan to make this Brown Lentil Curry on a stovetop pot, follow the exact instructions until we add brown lentils and water. Then cook for around 30-35 minutes on medium heat or till lentils are soft and done. Adjust water accordingly.

Serving Suggestions for Brown Lentils Curry

Serve the whole masoor dal recipe with basmati rice, roti, or chapati. But you can eat with quinoa, brown rice! This also can be served as a lentil soup with crusty bread.

Tips & Variations

1. If you soak the dal in water for 30 mins - 1 hour, helps to cook even faster.
2. I have used whole brown lentils in this recipe, you can use whole green lentils for the same recipe.
3. 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 an NPR.
4. If your dal is thick, you can add some water and adjust the consistency.
5. For a variation, you can also make this dill leaves dal by skipping onion, garlic.
6. You can also add some greens like spinach, kale, mustard leaves after pressure cooking.
7. Store brown lentils curry in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze for 3 months.

If you liked this recipe, then do check more Pressure Cooker Lentil Recipes from my blog.

• Whole green moong dal – Dal cooked with whole mung beans
• Masoor Dal - Dal made with red lentils.
• Chana Dal Fry - Dal prepared with split chickpeas lentils, assorted spices
• Spinach Dal / Palak Dal – Dhal cooked with spinach leaves
• Panchmel dal – Dal prepared with five varieties of lentils
• Raw Mango Dal – Dal cooked with Raw Mango
• Butternut Squash Dal - Dal cooked with butternut squash or pumpkin

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