The Best Indian Dal Ever (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
My favorite Indian dish is dal. I ALWAYS order it when I go to an Indian restaurant. It’s a basic staple in Indian cuisine and I love it. The depth of flavor is amazing and I love the creaminess of the dal from the lentils and coconut milk. I already have a basic garlic dal on the blog that I’ve made over and over again (it’s also delicious), but I decided to amp it up a little and make an instant pot version. Don’t worry, if you don’t have an instant pot, you can definitely make it on the stove too! I adjusted a few things from my original recipe and wow, it is SO good! Even my husband said it was really good…that’s saying something! It’s simple, yet nutritious. Lentils are so good for you and are filled with protein and fiber. The coconut milk adds a bit of richness and creaminess to the dal. Feel free to use full-fat coconut milk if you want an even creamier dal. Please don’t leave any spices out! It is important in order to get that flavor profile you are looking for. This Indian dal is the closest (and easiest) homemade version of my favorite restaurant dal. Serve it with rice, naan, quinoa, or any kind of flatbread. Oh and it’s of course vegan and gluten-free!
The Best Indian Dal Ever (Instant pot or Stovetop)
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 large yellow onion
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like more spice)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- fresh cracked black pepper (about 6-8 twists)
- 2 large tomatoes or 3 smaller tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup red lentils, well rinsed
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 can light coconut milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 cups spinach, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Press the saute function on your instant pot. Heat the olive oil, then add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute for about 5 minutes until browned and translucent. Add a little bit of water if burning on the bottom.
- Add the spices: coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir for 30 seconds. Turn instant pot off and add the tomatoes, lentils, water, and coconut milk. Stir until well combined. Make sure to use your wooden spoon and scrape the bottom of the pot very well to deglaze it. This prevents your instant pot from displaying the “burn” sign later during cooking.
- Press manual on your instant pot and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Wait for the pressure to naturally release before opening the lid.
- Once done, open lid and add the spinach and lemon juice. Stir until spinach is wilted. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve with rice, naan, or quinoa.
- *For cooking on the stovetop, follow directions (just cook it in a large pot) and simmer on medium low partially covered for 30 minutes until lentils are soft.
