Whole Masoor dal in InstantPot

VEGAN, VEGETARIAN, GLUTEN-FREE, NUT-FREE

We recently had a fabulous Spring break at Key West. The crystal clear waters and pleasing shades of green and blue are just what was needed for my family to unwind and relax. Food scene was also amazing but after all that eating out on a daily basis – breakfast, lunch and dinner – what everyone craves for is ‘Homely’ food. The staple food for Indians is Rice and some curry or dal.

Did you know that simple white rice with a dal and a drizzle of ghee (clarified butter) gives us all 6 essential Amino acids. (Thank you my dear Bro for this nice tip 🤗)

Rice with pulses/legumes topped with ghee has the complete amino acid profile in a specific ratio. 

So when we came back from our Spring break, I got down to spinning up severals dals for us to ‘reboot’!

Here is a an easy weeknight dal recipe with whole Masoor dal which takes under 30 minutes from start to finish. Masoor dal is the regular ‘pink lentils’ that is commonly called just lentils. This recipe utilizes the same lentils with the skin intact. This increases the fiber content and gives it a nice chewy bite. 

This dish comes together in the InstantPot completely. All it needs is some onions and tomatoes. Optionally add some diced potatoes to make the dish ‘meatier’. Aromatics are ginger, garlic and jalapeños. I also added grated fresh turmeric root to the aromatics and needless to say, it added the rich, vibrant color. Seasoned with a mixture of 5 seeds called Paanch Poren. It is used in Bengali cooking and I love the mixture of flavors. This is readily available in Indian stores. Finish the dal with plenty of cilantro before serving. 

Here are few more dal recipes to try –

Tomato (three ways) dal

Paanch (five) dal

Make this simple yet super delicious dal any week night for a super easy and nutritious meal. This goes very well with simple rice or any savory bread.