This recipe for Dal Fry is very close to my heart because it comes from my mom’s kitchen. This is my humble attempt to recreate the hearty and lip-smacking dal my mom makes in an Instant Pot. Stovetop recipe is included as well.
½cupfinely chopped cilantro / coriander leaves for garnishing
Instructions
Using a pressure cooker
Pressure cook the dal on medium heat with 2 cups of water (I cook till the vent goes off 4 times and the dal is well cooked.) Shut the gas off and set aside.
On medium heat, add oil or ghee (if using) to a wok or kadhai followed by tomatoes, cumin and coriander powder and green chilies. Fry the tomato puree until the oil separates out or when the tomato puree loses the moisture and has a thick gravy-like appearance.
Add the pressure cooked dal, salt, turmeric powder and mix well. Simmer it for 10 minutes. Add water (if needed) to get the dal to a consistency you like.
Heat ghee in a separate pan and add cumin seeds and when they start to sputter, add minced garlic cloves. Fry for around 10-20 seconds and then add this to the dal in the cooker.
Garnish it with coriander leaves before serving.
Using Instant Pot
Add dal along with 2 cups of water in the steel insert of the Instant Pot and then select “Pressure Cook.”
Adjust the time to 20 minutes and set the pressure selection to high. Cover the Instant Pot lid and lock it. Make sure the vent is at sealing position.
When the vent returns to the venting position, open the Instant pot lid and transfer the dal to another container and set aside. Rinse and dry the steel insert of the Instant Pot.
Place the steel insert in the Instant Pot and press the Saute function. Press the Adjust button to move the selection to “medium” and wait till the display reads “Hot.”
Add oil or ghee (if using) and once it heats up, add the pureed tomatoes, cumin and coriander powder and green chilies. Fry the tomato puree until the oil separates out and has a thick gravy-like appearance.
Add the pressure cooked dal, salt, turmeric powder and mix well. Press Warm/ Cancel and then press the Saute function.
Press the Adjust button to move the selection to “low”. Simmer the dal for 10 minutes. Add water (if needed) to get the dal to a consistency you like.
Heat ghee in a separate pan and add cumin seeds and when they start to sputter, add minced garlic cloves. Fry for around 10-20 seconds and then add this to the dal in the cooker.
Garnish it with coriander leaves before serving.
Notes
My mom doesn't use onions in her version of dal fry. But if you prefer to use onions, add them after the oil gets hot in step 2 and saute them till they are soft and translucent and then add the pureed tomatoes.