Easy Dal Tadka Instant Pot Recipe

Dal Tadka Instant Pot is a keeper recipe if you like Indian cuisine. It is one of the most delicious and comforting Dal ever with rice on the side. Toor Dal also known as Arhar Dal is cooked in onions, tomatoes and some mild spices. It is then tempered on top with tadka for the final finish that lends it a rich aromatic profile. It is Gluten-free and can be vegan when you swap the ghee with cooking oil.

Please find the instructional video in the recipe card for clear instructions.

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Delicious Dal Tadka Instant Pot Recipe

Arhar ki dal aur/and Chawal is the most common and most comforting meal in almost all the Indian households. It is one of the simplest meal prepared and its gratification value is 200%. There will be few times when you will end up over-eating the combination. This dal has a smooth creamy texture when cooked. It definitely is the soul food for my family.

Dal Tadka also known as Dal Fry is super easy to prepare and cooks faster than some other beans & lentils.

Most of the times I make simple dal with no frills, which is simply boil the dal with some spices and temper it with simple tadka of hing, jeera & lal mirch.

But then there are times when I make this Dal Tadka or Dal Fry with the addition of Onions, Ginger, Tomatoes, Green Chili and few more spices to create a richer version.

What is Toor Dal or Arhar Dal in English?

Toor or Arhar is known as Split Yellow Pigeon Peas in English.

What is Dal?

Dal is Hindi word for Dry Lentils and Pulses. It is also written as Daal or Dhal. It is referred as a Category of food for all the beans and lentils in Indian cuisine.

Dal is the main source of Protein for vegetarians and vegans. Therefore, it is prepared 3-4 times at least in most of the Indian homes. Although people may not prepare the same variety each time. Since there is a variety of more than 20-25 commonly used beans & pulses available, many Indian homes will prepare a different variety every single time. 

What is Dal Tadka?

Dal is naturally vegan unless topped with Ghee tempering. It is also Gluten-free. 

Dal in this case is referred for TOOR DAL or ARHAR DAL which is cooked in instant pot here with sauteed onions, tomatoes, ginger and green chili along with some basic Indian Spices.

What is Tadka?

Most of the time Tadka is the simple tempering prepared separately for the dal. You heat ghee (oil for vegan) in a small pan and then add hing (asafetida), cumin seeds, dry red chilies, and red chili powder to it. Sizzle it a bit and then add to the PRESSURE-COOKED DAL.

Now this Tadka can be further enhanced by adding onions & tomatoes to it and sauteed for a bit before adding to the prepared dal. We are using this enhanced version of Tadka for this recipe.

Although you may choose the simpler version too.

Some other Instant Pot Dal Recipes – 

Chana Masala (made with Chickpeas), Rajma Masala (made with Red Kidney Beans), Lobiya Masala (made with Black eye peas), Sabut Masoor (made with whole brown lentils), Lal Masoor (made with split red lentils), Pumpkin dal (made with pumpkin and chana dal), Dal Makhani & Punjabi dhaba dal (made with mix of whole black beluga lentils, red kidney beans) are some of the examples of the dals made in Indian homes.

What are the Ingredients of Dal Tadka Instant Pot Recipe?

Toor Dal – Also known as Arhar Dal or Split Yellow Pigeon Peas, this dal is easily available in all your local Indian Grocery stores. Or you can order from amazon. It is a must have pantry item for the Indian cuisine lovers.

Ghee – Ghee lends to the rich flavor profile of the dal. In case you are vegan, you can use any cooking oil of your choice.

Fresh Ingredients – Onions, Tomatoes, Green Chilies (Thai or Serrano), Garlic, Ginger, Cilantro and Lemon Juice.

Spices – Asafetida (optional), Cumin seeds, Coriander powder, Turmeric powder, Red chili powder, Garam Masala, & Dry Red Chilies (optional).

KITCHEN GADGETS USED IN THE RECIPE

Instant Pot

Inner Pot

Measuring Cups & Spoons

Kitchen Ladle

Chopping Board & Knife

Mixing Bowl

Small Frying Pan

Kitchen Stirring Spoon

Kitchen Colander

How to make Dal Tadka in Instant Pot?

Preparing the Dal Ingredients for cooking in Instant Pot

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First of all place Toor Dal in a Mixing Bowl and wash it 3 times in the clean room temperature water. Soak it in 1 cup water till ready to be used.

Now wash all the fresh ingredients in a Colander. Then finely chop onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, green chili and cilantro. Set aside. 

Cooking Dal Fry fresh ingredients on Saute Mode first

Place the Inner Pot inside the Instant Pot. Press the SAUTE MODE and set on high.

Once the screen shows HOT, add Ghee (cooking oil for vegan) inside. Wait for 5 seconds and then add Cumin seeds to it and let crackle for 15-20 seconds. 

Now add finely chopped onions, ginger, garlic, & green chili. Saute for 5-7 minutes till it gets lightly browned. Scrape the bottom if the ingredients stick to the bottom of the pan. 

Further add finely chopped tomatoes to it. Also add Coriander powder, Turmeric powder, Red chili powder, Salt & Garam Masala.

Give it a good stir and mix well with Kitchen Stirring Spoon. Cancel the Saute Mode. 

Drain the water from the soaked dal. Add dal to the pot along with water. Give it a good stir and mix all the ingredients well. Don’t forget to scrape the bottom of the pot.

Cooking Dal Tadka on Pressure Cook Mode in Instant Pot

Now place the lid of the instant pot and lock it. PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for 4 minutes for slightly grainy dal. If you like more creamy texture, then pressure cook for 6 minutes. Follow NPR (natural pressure release). Now open the lid and give a good stir. Your Toor Dal is ready. Now off to making TADKA.

Preparing Tadka for Dal Tadka

Take a Small Frying Pan and heat Ghee in it. Now lower the heat to medium and add Asafetida, Dry Red Chilies & Cumin seeds to it. Once the cumin seeds start crackling, add finely chopped onions to it. Saute for about 8-10 minutes till they turn golden brown. Further add finely chopped tomatoes and red chili powder to it. Saute for 2-3 minutes till tomatoes are nicely cooked. Tadka is ready. 

 

Serving Dal Tadka

Now add this Tadka to the Cooked Dal. Further add chopped cilantro leaves. Mix well. Squeeze some lemon juice on top. Dal Tadka or Dal Fry is ready. 

Serve it with some perfefctly cooked Basmati HOT RICE that goes so well with the dal. Add some pickles and cut salad on the side.

Why to make DAL TADKA at home?

• You can control the ghee/oil and spices to your liking.
• Gluten-free recipe that is vegetarian but can be easily made VEGAN.
• Add some vegetables like spinach or other greens and add to the nutritional benefits.
• It is perfect as a part of meal prep as can be refrigerated well. Also it freezes well.
• This Dal comes together easily. You can have your meal on the table in less than 30 minutes. 
• It makes a great busy weekday meal. Easy to pack for lunch box.
• You can eat it as is like a soup. I do it all the time.

What is the difference between Dal Tadka and Dal Fry?

In layman’s language, it is all same. Dal Tadka or Dal Fry is basically cooked Toor Dal or Arhar Dal and mixed with a heavy tempering of onion tomato and spice tadka. It is called by different names in different parts. It is a very popular dal in North India. Also the quantity of onions and tomatoes vary from home to home. Some folks like more onions and others may like more tomatoes. You can totally personalize it your way.

Can I make this Dal Tadka Recipe on the Gas Top?

Yes absolutely. Take a heavy bottom pan and heat ghee in it. Lower the heat to medium and then follow the same instructions of Saute mode from the main recipe above.

Then add Dal and about 4 cups of water to the pot. Bring it to a boil. Then cook on simmer till done, for about 15-20 minutes depending upon the consistency you like. Make Tadka as described above and add to the dal. Ta-da it is ready!

Is Dal Tadka Freezer friendly?

Yes it is freezer friendly. Pack in individual portions in freezer friendly boxes/bags and freeze for 4-6 months. When ready to eat, take out, thaw and reheat wither on gas top or microwave. Eat.

What is the ratio of Toor Dal and Water for cooking?

For Pressure cooking, the best ratio is 1:3 where Dal is 1 part and water is 3 parts. You can always add a bit of water more later if you like dal more soupy. 

For Gas Top cooking, use 1:4 ratio.

Do I need to soak the Toor Dal before cooking?

In traditional Indian cooking, soaking dal is advised and more so for whole dals. When using split dals like toor dal, although soaking helps in the digestion of dal but if you do not have time, you can skip it. Or soak for 20 minutes till ready to cook. In this recipe, I soaked the dal for 15-20 minutes max till I prepped the fresh ingredients and sauteed. 

How to store the left-over Dal Tadka?

This Tadka Dal is refrigerator friendly. Store the leftovers in air-tight box and refrigerate.

 

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EASY DAL TADKA INSTANT POT RECIPE

I am sure you are going to make this recipe soon. Please leave your feedback in the comments section.

Sonal