Instant Pot Dal Makhani
You no longer have to go to an Indian restaurant to enjoy a bowl of delicious dal makhani. This pressure cooker dal recipe is quick and easy to make in an instant pot!
This popular Punjabi dal is so easy to make in an instant pot! Dal makhani is rich and creamy dal recipe that calls for a combination of lentils: whole lentils that maintain their texture and split lentils that melt together to form a creamy dal. Stir some ghee into the soup before serving to give it a rich buttery flavor and you’ve got the perfect bowl of soup.
instant pot dal makhani
INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole and split lentils (any combination of whole black lentils, whole mung beans, whole masoor beans, red lentils, red kidney beans, etc), soaked overnight
2 tablespoons neutral oil (I like avocado oil)
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 large onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 ½ teaspoons minced ginger
Spices
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ – 1 teaspoon cayenne
2 tomatoes, chopped
3 cups water
2 tablespoons ghee, adjust to taste
Cilantro, garnish
Drizzle of heavy cream, optional garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Soak the lentils in cold water overnight. Drain, rinse and set aside.
Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot, add the oil and allow it to heat up for a minute. Add the cumin seeds and once they start to brown, add the onion and bay leaf. Stir-fry for 6-7 minutes or until the onion begins to brown.
Add the garlic, ginger, spices and stir, then add the tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down.
Add the lentils to the pot along with the 3 cups of water and mix well.
Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 30 minutes at high pressure.
Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Stir in the ghee and garnish with cilantro if desired.
NOTES
Feel free to add more ghee to this recipe! Ghee is what gives this dal its delicious buttery flavor. You can also add a bit of heavy cream if you prefer!