Meal Prep Instant Pot Tomato Dal
Instant Pot Tomato Dal
Yield: 6-8 individual portions
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients & Utensils
Utensils
Instant Pot
Cooking Ladel
Mixing Bowl (to wash and rinse the dal)
Ingredients
1 teaspoon (5ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil (aka EVOO)
1 knob (14g) Unsalted Butter
1 teaspoon (5ml) Cumin Seeds
1 teaspoon (5ml) Black Mustard Seeds
1 teaspoon (5ml) Asafoetida
0.5 cup (65g) Red Onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon (5g) Ginger
2 teaspoon (7g) Garlic
1 can (170g) Tomato Paste or 1 (400g) Canned Tomatoes or 2-3 (250-300g) Fresh Tomatoes, diced.
1 teaspoon (5ml) each of Holy Trinity of Indian Spices: Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder and Cumin Powder
1 cup (200g) Moong Dal
0.5 cup (100g) Masoor Dal
6 cups (1.4 litres) Water (see Notes for Instant Pot cooking water:dal ratios)
Salt, adjust per your taste (see Common Q&A's under Notes for what "per your taste" means)
Let's Get Cooking
1. Add the moong dal and masoor dal to a mixing bowl. Wash and rinse under cold water twice, then set aside.
2. Add the tempering ingredients to the Instant Pot: extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), unsalted butter, cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, and asafoetida.
3. Turn on Sauté mode and manually adjust to the Low setting.
4. Once the cumin and mustard seeds begin to crackle, stir briefly, then add the red onion, ginger, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine well, then cover with the Instant Pot lid (not sealed) and let cook for 2–3 minutes. You want the raw smell of the aromatics to mellow into a warm, inviting aroma.
5. Stir in the entire can of tomato paste, canned tomatoes, or fresh diced tomatoes. Add 1 teaspoon each of red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder (aka the "Holy Trinity" of Indian spices). Mix everything thoroughly.
CTD Tip #1: If the tomatoes are clumping or sticking, add 1 cup of water to deglaze the pot. This also prevents the spices from burning — and makes cleanup easier!
6. Turn off Sauté mode, then add the washed dals and the required amount of water. Stir well to combine.
(See Notes below for Instant Pot dal-to-water ratios.)
7. Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to Sealing. You have two cooking options:
Option 1: Manually pressure cook for 10 minutes
Option 2: Press Rice mode, which automatically sets the timer to 10 minutes
After a few moments, you’ll hear three beeps — this indicates that your Instant Pot is in cooking mode and the lid will be locked.
8. Once the timer reaches 00:00, carefully turn the valve to Venting for a manual pressure release.
CTD Tip #2: If steam leaks heavily, lightly cover the valve with a paper or kitchen towel for safety (but never block it fully).
9. Open the lid, give the dal a stir with a ladle, and do a taste test! If needed, add 1 teaspoon of salt, stir, and taste again. Adjust the consistency by adding more water if it’s too thick.(See Notes below for answers to common questions.)https://amzn.to/40u03tz
10. Enjoy your cozy, homemade Instant Pot Tomato Dal!
Notes
1. Common Q&A's 🤔 when making this recipe:
What to do if the dal is too lumpy?
Add 1 cup of water, stir and the risidual heat of the Instant Pot will help in this process. Kind reminder, for every time you add water you will also have to adjust the amount of salt. So do a taste test to check to see if you need more or less salt!🧂
What to do if the dal is not cooked thoroughly?
Here's my little hack - turn the Instant Pot back onto Saute mode to a Medium setting. Add 2-3 more cups of water, stir. Cover the Instant Pot with the lid and let the dal come to a boil and cook in that boil for 3-5 minutes. Kind reminder, for every time you add water you will also have to adjust the amount of salt. So do a taste test to check to see if you need more or less salt! The dal is cooked when each grain can easily be squished inbetween your fingers.🫰🏼
Can I add any greens to this dish?
Of course!! I didn't have any in my fridge but any leafy greens like kale and spinach would be a great source of iron and fibre! 🍃💩
What does "Salt, to taste" mean?
Salt preferences can vary widely from person to person, which puts me in a bit of a dilemma. For example, this Dal recipe, 2 teaspoons of salt tasted just right to me—but that same amount wasn’t quite enough for my Dad. That’s why, when a recipe says "Salt, adjust to taste," it’s not just a suggestion; it’s a reminder to taste as you cook, and especially to do a final taste test at the end. Everyone’s tastebuds are different, so seasoning needs to be flexible. You got this, bestie! 🫶🏽
🙋🏻♀️ If you have any more questions, feel free to DM Vidya either on Instagram, TikTok or by email chikkatikkadiaries@gmail.com 💌
2. Instant Pot water: dal cooking ratios 👇🏽 here you go:
1 cup Moong Dal : 2 cups Water (moong dal asborbs a lot of water during the cooking process)
1 cup Masoor Dal: 1 cup Water
1 cup Red Kidney Bean (aka Rajma): 2.5 to 3 cups Water
1 cup Black Eyed Peas (aka Lobia): 2 cups Water
1 cup Black Chickpeas(aka Kala Chana): 2.5 cups Water
1 cup Brown Chickpeas: 2.5 cups Water
1 cup White Chickpeas (aka Kabuli Chana or Garbanzo Beans): 2.5 to 3 cups Water
3. Batch Freezer Meal Prep
Perfect to store in the freezer and make your own homemade freezer meals - click here to buy the Souper Cubes I use.
DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?
I would love to see your delicious creations by tagging @chikkatikka.diaries on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
Or, send me an email 💌 chikkatikkadiaries@gmail.com
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