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instant pot masoor dal (red lentil curry) in bowl with lemon wedge on the side
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Instant Pot Masoor Dal Recipe (Red Lentil Curry)

An easy and delicious dish that's also budget-friendly: Instant Pot Masoor Dal. Also known as Red Lentil Curry -- it's so fast to make in the Instant Pot! Instead of 30 minutes of cooking on the stovetop, the Instant Pot only takes 8 minutes! Add a Tadka or Tempered Oil to flavor the cooked red lentils. Enjoy with basmati rice or naan for the ultimate bowl of comfort!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Natural Release10 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Curry, Instant Pot, Masoor Dal, Red Lentil
Servings: 6
Calories: 209kcal
Author: Lis Lam

Equipment

  • Instant Pot
  • Fine Mesh Sieve
  • Tadka pot or small saucepan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 1 Tbsp yellow lentils (split chickpeas)
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 3-4 medium tomatoes, finely diced *canned or fresh tomatoes
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 inch ginger, minced
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp karchi chili powder *can be subbed with cayenne
  • 2 Tbsp Kasoori Methi
  • 2 cups water *for Instant Pot (3 cups for stovetop)

Tadkah:

  • 3 Tbsp oil *or ghee (ghee is not vegan)
  • 6-8 curry leaves
  • 1 shallot thinly sliced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 1 fresh chili pepper chopped, finger hot green or red chili peppers
  • 1-2 Tbsp dried red chilies
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds *optional (if you have it)
  • 1/2 tsp karchi chili powder *can be subbed with cayenne

Instructions

  • Rinse lentils. Rinse and soak lentils with cold water until the water is no longer cloudy, about 3-4 times. Drain with a fine mesh strainer.

Instant Pot Instructions:

  • Add ingredients. Add the drained lentils to the inner cooking pot of the Instant Pot. Directly on top, add the onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, red chili powder (or cayenne), Kasoori Methi, and salt. Add 2 cups of water and stir until combined.
  • Cook. Lock the lid in place and turn off the "Keep Warm" function. Pressure Cook for 8 minutes. When the timer beeps, Natural Release for 10 minutes.
  • Note: make sure the "Keep Warm" function is turned off or it won't naturally release the steam! After 10 minutes, manually release the remaining pressure and open the lid.

Stovetop instructions

  • Add ingredients. Add the drained lentils to a large stock pot. Directly on top, add the onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, red chili powder (or cayenne), Kasoori Methi, and salt. Add 3 cups of water and stir until combined.
  • Cook. Cook on high heat until it comes to a boil. Cover with the lid partially askew. Lower heat and simmer until the lentils are completely soft and can be mashed easily with a spoon, about 30 minutes. *For stovetop directions, you may need to add more water as the liquid evaporates quickly.

For the Tadka:

  • Make the Tadka. In a small saucepan or tadka pot, add ghee or oil. Cook on medium heat until it melts. When the ghee (or oil) is hot, add the shallot, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, mustard seeds, dried chilies, and fresh chilies. As the spices and aromatics cook in the hot oil, it will crackle and bubble. Stir gently with a spoon until everything is nicely toasted and the shallot and garlic are light brown to golden brown in color, about 3-5 minutes. Be careful that it doesn't burn.
  • Serve. Drizzle the Tadka over the cooked lentils. Use a spoon and mix until well combined. Add a squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro leaves on top. Serve with basmati rice or naan. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Tips:
    • Adjust spice level. Make it as spicy as you like! For medium heat, I recommend adding 1/2 teaspoon Karchi chili powder in the Instant Pot. For mild heat, add 1/4 teaspoon. For spicy heat, add 1 teaspoon or more.
    • Adjust thickness. The amount of added water can adjust the thickness of the dal. For a thinner dal with a runny consistency, add more water. For a thicker dal, add less.
    • Make in advance. A good make-ahead dish that tastes even better the next day. Easy for meal prep, too. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for 5-7 days. Or in the freezer, for up to 1 month. 
    • Serve with Naan. For an easy meal, serve with store-bought Naan.  I keep store-bought Naan in the freezer and defrost in the Air Fryer (320F/160C for 6 minutes) until hot and puffy with crispy edges. Brush with more ghee before serving, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 548mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 717IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3mg