PRESSURE COOKER WHOLE MASOOR DAL (stove top and instant pot) - loaded with hearty brown lentils and warming spices, it is one of the easiest, most delicious and comforting dishes I have enjoyed.
With a side of any Indian bread like roti, naan, paratha, puris etc. or even a bowl of rice, it is a wonderful weeknight meal or lunch option to enjoy any day of the week.
We enjoyed this luscious, creamy and sumptuous brown lentil curry with some kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves paratha (recipe below) and a salad on the side.
DO YOU LOVE INDIAN DALS, LEGUMES AND BEAN CURRIES?
With the advent of online presence of global cuisine via social media outlets, Indian cuisine has exploded in the food history of the world, especially Indian dals, tikka masala curries, biryanis or even some south Indian dosais and idlis not to mention the very popular and naan, rotis, parathas etc.
We Indians love our dals, lentils and beans and this brown lentil curry or whole masoor dal curry made super easy in a pressure cooker has become one of our family favorite and our go-to when we need a healthy, quick and delicious vegetarian protein rich side with parathas, rotis or even puris.
It is so hearty, comforting and soothing to the palate that sometimes I love to savor it mixed with some hot rice and a veggie stir fry or salad on the side too!
PRESSURE COOKER WHOLE MASOOR DAL:
If you have a pressure cooker (stove top or electric Instant pot version), making this mildly spiced Indian whole masoor curry is a breeze.
All you will need is some basic pantry ingredients which I am sure most of us have now in our kitchens.
Whole masoor or brown lentil is nothing but the red split lentil called masoor dal but in the whole and with skin form.
Masoor dal which is orange in color turns yellow on cooking but this whole or sabut masoor remains brown in color. Rich in protein and super creamy when cooked, any curry using brown lentils needs no extra cream for richness or thickness.
In this easy pressure cooker version of sabut or whole masoor curry, soaked whole masoor dal is pressure cooked in an onion, tomato and a simple spice mixture masala until soft and tender. (I have added a handful of red kidney beans or rajma too for more added protein; totally optional).
A final garnish of coriander leaves and/or kasuri methi is all you need before you can dig into it using your favorite naan, paratha, roti or even some rice.
Totally vegan, no cream, no fuss recipe.
DETAILED STEP-WISE INSTRUCTIONS AS WELL AS PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD IS GIVEN BELOW.
BASIC INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED:
- Whole masoor/sabut masoor or brown lentils – these are actually the whole, with-skin version of the orange colored masoor dal which we always use.
- Red kidney beans/rajma – this is optional but I love to add a handful of this to amp up the nutrition/protein content.
- Aromatic like onions, ginger, garlic etc. with a piece of green chili/Serrano if you like some heat in your curry.
- Spice powders – except for some whole cumin seeds and a bay leaf, I have used only spice powders here like coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder/Kashmiri red chili powder, cinnamon powder, turmeric powder, black pepper powder and a dash of hing/asafetida powder which we add whenever we cook any dal, legume, beans etc.; adding hing/asafetida aids in digestion but is optional if you do not have it or do not like the flavor of it.
- Herbs – only 2 main ones which any north Indian curry has; dried fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi (easily available online or in any Asian store) and some freshly chopped cilantro or coriander leaves as final garnish.
- Of course you will need oil (any cooking oil or mustard oil which I have used here) and some salt.
STEP-WISE INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE PRESSURE COOKER WHOLE MASOOR DAL:
Wash, drain and soak 1 cup masoor dal and if preferred ¼ cup rajma or red kidney beans in plenty of water for 6 hours or overnight.
Chop onions (1/2 to ¾ cup), grated ginger and garlic (1 tablespoon each) and puree 2 medium tomatoes (about 1 cup) and set aside.
Take out all the spices and spice powders needed for the curry.
Gather all the ingredients needed.
When ready to make the curry, if using the Instant pot, press the sauté button and add 3 tablespoons oil.
When hot and slightly smoking, add 1 teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds and 1 bay leaf; fry for a few seconds to aromatize the oil.
Stir in ¾ cup chopped onions and fry again on medium until slightly softened; 1 to 2 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon each grated ginger and garlic and sauté again for a minute or so.
Stir in 1 cup tomato puree along with the dry spice powders – 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon jeera powder, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (or smoked or regular paprika powder), ½ teaspoon each turmeric and black pepper powder and ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder.
Mix well and sauté again on medium heat, stirring often and most of the moisture in the puree is gone and you see oil starting to separate from the sides. This is an indication the spice powders have roasted well .
At this stage, mix in the soaked and drained lentils and beans mixture along with 2 ½ to 3 cups of hot water. Adding hot water quickens the whole pressure cooking process.
Stir in salt to taste, mix well and close the lid.
Cancel the sauté button and pressure cook on “HIGH” for 15 minutes.
If using the stove top pressure cooker, same steps but cook for 15 minutes on medium low after first whistle.
After 15 minutes, if using Instant Pot, quick release the pressure using a wooden spoon and staying away from the steam that is released.
If using stove top pressure cooker, let the pressure drop naturally.
Open the pressure pan, adjust salt (and consistency) if needed, garnish with 1 tablespoon crushed dry fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi (optional here) and/or a handful of freshly chopped cilantro or coriander leaves.
Mix well and serve hot with any Indian bread like naan, paratha, roti, puris etc. This is a great side with hot steamed rice and a stir fry on the side too.
This one pot meal will taste absolutely heavenly with any of your favorite Indian bread or even rice. I ended up making some methi parathas/rotis
Just mix crushed dry fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi (or even fresh greens) with whole grain flour/whole wheat flour with some salt to a soft, smooth and pliable dough.
Make lemon sized balls, roll into large round discs or make triangle parathas like I have, brushing with oil or melted ghee if not vegan.
Roll into a triangle paratha; roll gently to maintain the triangle shape.
Shallow fry on a hot griddle until cooked and light brown on both sides.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
This creamy, delicious and one-pot pressure cooker whole masoor curry tastes good with any Indian paratha and is a good comforting meal with cooked rice too.
Enjoy and Happy Cooking/Eating!
Do try this easy peasy whole masoor dal curry and if you do, I would love to hear about it.
Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments in the box below (do not forget to give it a rating).
Do share your version on Instagram too (using #curryandvanilla16 and @curryandvanilla16) and also on my Facebook page.
If you love Indian curries, then do check out these too which are our favorites from my blog:
- One Pot Vegan Mixed Dal Curry
- Tofu Tikka Masala Curry
- Rajma Masala Curry
- One Pot Chole Chana Masala
- Pressure Cooker Lobia/Black eyed beans Masala
PRESSURE COOKER WHOLE MASOOR DAL CURRY (stove top and instant pot)
Ingredients
- 1 cup masoor dal whole red lentils
- ¼ cup red kidney beans optional
- 3/4 cup chopped onions
- 1 tbsp each ginger and garlic
- 1 cup tomato puree about 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 green chili chopped or sliced
- 1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder or smoked paprika powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp jeera powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon haldi/turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp kasoori methi and/or freshly chopped cilantro
- Optional – 2 tbps fresh cream or cashew cream
- 2-3 tablespoons mustard oil or any cooking oil and ghee if not vegan
Instructions
-
Wash, drain and soak 1 cup masoor dal and if preferred ¼ cup rajma or red kidney beans in plenty of water for 6 hours or overnight.
-
Chop onions (1/2 to ¾ cup), grated ginger and garlic (1 tablespoon each) and puree 2 medium tomatoes (about 1 cup) and set aside.
-
Take out all the spices and spice powders needed for the curry.
-
When ready to make the curry, if using the Instant pot, press the sauté button and add 3 tablespoons oil.
-
When hot and slightly smoking, add 1 teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds and 1 bay leaf; fry for a few seconds to aromatize the oil.
-
Stir in ¾ cup chopped onions and fry again on medium until slightly softened; 1 to 2 minutes.
-
Add 1 tablespoon each grated ginger and garlic and sauté again for a minute or so.
-
Stir in 1 cup tomato puree along with the dry spice powders – 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon jeera powder, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (or smoked or regular paprika powder), ½ teaspoon each turmeric and black pepper powder and ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder.
-
Mix well and sauté again on medium heat, stirring often until you see oil starting to separate from the sides. This is an indication the spiced powders have roasted well and most of the moisture in the puree is gone.
-
At this stage, mix in the soaked and drained lentils and beans mixture along with 2 ½ to 3 cups of hot water.
-
Stir in salt to taste, mix well and close the lid.
-
Cancel the sauté button and pressure cook on “HIGH” for 15 minutes.
-
If using the stove top pressure cooker, same steps but cook for 15 minutes on medium low after first whistle.
-
After 15 minutes, if using Instant Pot, quick release the pressure using a wooden spoon and staying away from the steam that is released.
-
If using stove top pressure cooker, let the pressure drop naturally.
-
Open the pressure pan, adjust salt (and consistency) if needed, garnish with 1 tablespoon crushed dry fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi (optional here) and/or a handful of freshly chopped cilantro or coriander leaves.
-
Mix well and serve hot with any Indian bread like naan, paratha, roti, puris etc. This is a great side with hot steamed rice and a stir fry on the side too.
-
Actually, this lentil masala curry is a great vehicle to dip some soft or toasted bread slices and enjoy if you do not have any Indian bread or rice already prepared.
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Any which way you enjoy, you are going to love this easy peasy pressure cooker lentil curry.
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I know I am going to make it again and again in my pressure cooker!
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Enjoy and Happy Cooking/Eating.
Recipe Notes
- Adjust the amount of spices according to personal taste.
- It is always better to soak any lentils, legumes, beans etc. overnight but if short on time, soaking these brown lentils in hot water for 30 minutes is ok too.
- This curry thickens as it cools, so when ready to eat, add hot water, simmer and enjoy.
- Happy Eating!
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