Dal Bukhara Instant Pot Recipe
Dal Bukhara Instant Pot Recipe is so creamy and delicious that you will make it again and again. It is a popular Dal from the BUKHARA (restaurant) kitchen of ITC Maurya, Delhi. This daal is best enjoyed with some Naan and Jeera Rice.
Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 2 cups Urad Dal Sabut / Whole Black Lentils
- 2 small or 1 Large Onion chopped roughly
- 5 small or 3 Large Tomatoes, ripe and plum chopped roughly
- 1 large piec Ginger chopped roughly
- 1 small Green Chili chopped roughly
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1/4 cup Cashews soaked for 1/2 hour
- 1/4 cup Yogurt whisked
- 1/4 cup Fresh Cream
- 5-6 cups Water
Oil & Spices
- 1 tbsp Ghee Vegans use cooking oil
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp Coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp or more Garam Masala
- 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Lal Mirch
- 1/2 tsp tsp Kasuri Methi
- To taste Salt about 1&1/2 tsp or adjust to taste
- 1 large Bay leaf
- 1 small stick Cinnamon
- 2 Black Cardamoms
- 4-5 Cloves
- 4-5 Black pepper corns
- 1 fat pinch/ 1/8 tsp Nutmeg powder / Jaifal
Instructions
FOR CONVERTING THIS RECIPE TO VEGAN, READ THE NOTES TOWARDS THE END.
Preparing the Whole Urad / Black Lentil Beans
- The whole urad or black lentils are tough beans and need to be soaked for at least 6 hours and if possible over night. So wash them in cold water and soak. After soaking the beans swell up and almost double in size. If you do not have time, then soak in slightly warm water. Once soaked for the required time, drain the water and set them aside for the use.
Making Onion Ginger coarse Paste + Tomato Cashew Paste
- Take a food processor and add chopped onions, ginger, garlic and green chili to it. Process till the ingredients are processed into fine particles.
- Take a blender and add chopped tomatoes and soaked cashews to it. Blend it till you get a fine paste.
COOKING ON SAUTE MODE IN INSTANT POT
- Gather all the ingredients as mentioned - soaked & drained Dal, onion paste, tomato cashew paste, ghee/oil, other spices and water.
- Insert the inner pot into IP and Plug in your Instant Pot. Set it on SAUTE MODE TO HIGH.
- Now add ghee/oil in the pot and then cumin seeds. Saute for few seconds. Then add bay leaf + cinnamon stick + black cardamom + cloves + black pepper corns. Saute these whole spices for few seconds. Add onion paste to the pot. Give it a good stir. Cover with a glass lid and cook it for 5-7 minutes, till onions are soft and slightly red. Stir in between to avoid burning at the bottom.
- Once the onions are done, add tomato cashew paste to the pot. Give it a good stir mixing with roasted onions. Add all the spices - turmeric, red chili powder, kashmiri lal mirch, garam masala, kasuri methi and salt. Give it another good stir. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Keep stirring in between. Cook till it becomes a thick paste.
- Once you get a thick paste, add soaked + drained Dal + water to the pot. Give it a good stir. CANCEL THE SAUTE MODE NOW.
COOKING ON MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK IN INSTANT POT
- Put the IP LID and set the floating valve at CLOSED. Set the Manual/Pressure Cook Mode on More and Pressure High for 30 Minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, let the PRESSURE release NATURALLY. Once the Security pin drops down and pressure is released, open the lid carefully. Add whisked yogurt and Cream to the cooked dal. Mix it properly. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before you serve it. You may add a dollop of butter on top before serving. Truth to be told, I have always enjoyed it more the next day.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- It is best enjoyed with whole wheat NAAN, Mint Naan and JEERA RICE.
VEGAN NOTES
- Use Cooking oil in place of Ghee. To replace the yogurt, simply skip it. To replace Cream, use more Cashew Cream. Instead of making cashew cream with 1/4 cup cashews, make it with 1/2 cup cashews. Use 1/2 of cream at cooking and then add rest of the 1/2 later.
- How to make Cashew Cream - Take 1/2 cup soaked cashews and use 1/4 cup of any plant based milk. Blend together in a creamy sauce. It is ready to use.