One-pot Vegan Mixed Dal Curry (Pressure Pan Recipe)

One-pot Vegan Mixed Dal Curry-made in a stove top pressure pan/instant pot!

Flavorful and creamy three lentil dal curry with tomatoes, ginger, fresh herbs and minimal spices.

I love cooking but sometimes, there are days when I all I need is a comforting meal without all the fuss and slaving over a hot stove.

To pull me through days like these, I come up with some quick and easy one-pot dishes that can minimize my time in the kitchen and with fewer cleanups too!

I have made rich and flavorful dals before like Dal Palak Curry (lentils with spinach) or Chilkewali Moong Dal (Green split moong dal curry) . These have been the stars of many of my parties. But today, I wanted something simple and quick, yet healthy, comforting and tasty!

This one-pot vegan three lentil dal curry is literally like a "dump and cook" kind of method, uses minimal spices and ingredients which you will almost always have in your pantry and needs you to just wash the dals and drain them.

The only chopping needed is tomatoes and ginger!

I have used masoor dal (red lentils), split yellow moong dal and tuvar dal (split yellow pigeon peas) for my protein. You can use any combination of dals you might have in your pantry or use just one type of dal; whichever you have.

The amazing part of this dish is it needs NO SAUTEING, NO FRYING, NO BLENDING.!

Now, doesn’t that sound easy and amazing?

For those who avoid onions and garlic (for personal or religious/spiritual reasons), this is the perfect dal curry to make and enjoy!

All you need is a pressure pan/instant pot.

Just layer all the ingredients: oil, spices, tomatoes, ginger, dals and spice powders (any of your favorites). Sprinkle salt and add the required amount of water. Give it a good mix and cook on pressure for 5 minutes after first whistle on stove top pressure cooker and in your IP (on high and seal).

If using the stove top pressure cooker, let the pressure release naturally.

If using IP, NPR (natural pressure release) 10 minutes and then do a manual quick pressure release. That is it; yes it is that easy!

If you are going to use a stove top saucepan, it will take a longer time to cook but it is doable.

Just mash it up if you want a smooth and creamy dal or gently stir if you love your dal curry to have a texture!

Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and/or crushed Kasoori Methi/dried fenugreek leaves;  serve it up with hot steamed home cooked rice or any roti, paratha, naan etc.

If you feel more lazy, just heat up some readymade parathas, naan, roti etc. that are now easily available in any store and a lazy night dinner or a quick lunch could not be easier and healthier!

I love greens, so I sometimes add chopped greens to my dal either while cooking or at the last stage like with spinach leaves or even salad leaves which cook easily!

So, if you love them too, feel free to stir in some chopped greens - spinach or even some salad greens into the just cooked dal, give a simmer and enjoy!

And I did exactly that!

Just changed the mix of dals and used equal quantities of masoor, moong and chana dal, and while pressure cooking, added about a cup or so of moringa leaves from our garden moringa tree!

You can use chopped kale, methi or fenugreek leaves etc. too!

Rest of the recipe is the same.

Doesn't it look amazingly delicious?

I love to add a dollop of ghee on top of my dal to give it a creamier and rich flavor. But if you are vegan, you can avoid this.

Leftovers taste great too! Just stir in some water to dilute it to the consistency you want (dals tend to thicken over time), reheat and viola! It is ready to enjoy with some rice or roti again!

I love to plonk myself on a comfortable couch and spoon away thick, delicious dal whenever I need an energy boost or am hankering for something to tide me over until lunch or dinner time!

I could not believe how creamy, tasty, rich, flavorful and comforting this dal curry was (and healthy too)!!!

Do try this 20-minute dal curry and let me know on my Facebook page, in the comments below or share it on my Instagram #curryandvanilla16.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

If you love quick one-pot curries, then you must check out my:

• Pressure Cooker Chole Chana Curry
• Pressure Cooker Vegetable Salna
• Pressure Cooker Lobia or Black-eyed Peas Masala
• Pressure Cooker Ginger Chicken

How to make One-pot Vegan Mixed Dal Curry:

Pick all the dals to remove any dirt or stones, wash well in plenty of water and drain.

Keep all the ingredients ready: spices, chopped tomatoes, green chilies, ginger, spice powders, crushed fenugreek leaves etc.

Heat a pressure pan on medium high heat. Add oil and wait for it to heat up.

As soon as the oil is hot, reduce heat and start layering the ingredients.

First layer, all the whole spices: cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon and jeera/cumin seeds.

As soon as you start to see it sizzle and fry, layer chopped tomatoes all over.

Reduce heat to medium and sprinkle the chopped ginger and green chilies.

Spoon the next layer of mixed, washed and drained dals to cover the pan completely.

Then sprinkle all the spice powders evenly over the dals: turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder, hing and then crushed kasoori methi/dried fenugreek leaves.

Sprinkle salt to taste.

Now, pour about 2 ½ to 3 cups of water over it and give it a good mix.

Increase heat to high, close the pressure pan and pressure cook on high.

If using stove top pressure cooker, after first whistle, reduce heat to medium low and cook for 5 more minutes or cook for 3 whistles on medium high.

If using an instant pot, pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.

Turn off the stove and let the pressure release on its own for stove top pressure cooker.

When it is safe to open, remove the lid and give it a good mix. If you want a texture, mix gently. Add more water to your desired consistency.

For INSTANT POT, pressure cook on high (seal) for 5 minutes, NPR for 10 minutes and then manually quick release of pressure.

Sprinkle finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis, hot steamed rice or any Indian flat bread you like!

For a more rich and aromatic experience, stir in a tablespoon of ghee into the hot dal and mix before serving. If vegan, omit this.

Happy Cooking!

HERE IS HOW I MADE THIS DELICIOUS DAL! TIME TO PRINT/SAVE NOW:

Print

One-pot Vegan Mixed Dal Curry

Flavorful, pressure cooker vegan three lentil dal curry with tomatoes, ginger, fresh herbs and minimal spices. No soaking, no frying, no blending, no onions, no garlic and totally vegan!

Course Brunch, Main Course

Cuisine Indian, North Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 8

Author Vanitha Bhat

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup toor dal/arhar/split pigeon peas
• 1/3 cup moong dal split and skinless
• 1/3 cup masoor dal split red lentils
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds
• 3 cloves
• 1 large piece cinnamon
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 large tomato finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2- inch ginger finely chopped (1 tbsp)
• 2 green chillies/jalapenos finely chopped or slit into two
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• ¼ tsp hing/asafetida powder
• 1 tablespoon kasoori methi/dried fenugreek leaves
• Salt to taste
• 2 ½ to 3 cups water
• Finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves/crushed kasoori methi for garnishing

Instructions

1. Pick all the dals to remove any dirt or stones, wash well in plenty of water and drain.
2. Keep all the ingredients ready: spices, chopped tomatoes, green chillies, ginger, spice powders, crushed fenugreek leaves etc.
3. Heat a pressure pan on medium high heat. Add oil and wait for it to heat up.
4. As soon as the oil is hot, reduce heat to medium low and start layering the ingredients.
5. First layer, all the whole spices: cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon and jeera/cumin seeds.
6. As soon as you start to see it sizzle and fry, layer chopped tomatoes all over.
7. Reduce heat to medium and sprinkle the chopped ginger and green chilies.
8. Spoon the next layer of mixed, washed and drained dals to cover the pan completely.
9. Then sprinkle all the spice powders evenly over the dals: turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder, hing and then crushed kasoori methi/dried fenugreek leaves.
10. Sprinkle salt to taste.
11. Now, pour about 2 ½ to 3 cups of water over it and give it a good mix.
12. Increase heat to high, close the pressure pan and pressure cook on high.
13. If using stove top pressure cooker, after first whistle, reduce heat to medium low and cook for 5 more minutes or cook for 3 whistles on medium high.
14. If using an instant pot, pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
15. Turn off the stove and let the pressure release on its own.
16. NPR for 10 minutes in Instant Pot and then quick release the pressure.
17. When it is safe to open, remove the lid and give it a good mix. Add more water to your desired consistency.
18. Adjust seasonings if needed.
19. Sprinkle finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis, hot steamed rice or any Indian flat bread you like!
20. Happy Cooking!

Recipe Notes

• Make sure while layering, the heat is not too high or there are chances the bottom may start to burn by the time you are done layering.
• Adjust the spices according to your taste.
• If you love the flavor of onions and garlic, feel free to add chopped onions and garlic as one of the layers; just layer them on top of the whole spices, before adding the lentils.
• You can make this dish with any mixture of dals or just one variety of dal.
  Enjoy and Happy Cooking/Eating!

PIN IT FOR LATER:

If you like my posts and recipes, do not forget to Pin, Share, comment in the box below or like my Facebook page 

For more such easy and delicious recipes,  follow me on:

Facebook @ curryandvanilla

Pinterest @ curryandvanilla

Instagram @ curryandvanilla16

Twitter @ curryandvanilla

Google Plus  @ Vanitha Bhat

Have fun cooking, eating and sharing!!!

I am sharing this with:

#FiestaFriday.net

#RecipeoftheWeek