Instant Pot Panchmel Dal (Five-Lentil Dal)
Rajasthani-style mixed dal with toor, moong, masoor, chana, and urad cooked in one Instant Pot cycle with onion-tomato masala. Naturally vegan if you use oil, gluten-free.
Equipment
- Instant Pot (6-quart)
- Small tadka pan (optional, for finishing tadka)
Ingredients
For the dal
- ¼ cup toor dal arhar / split pigeon peas
- ¼ cup moong dal dhuli moong / split yellow mung
- ¼ cup masoor dal split red lentils
- ¼ cup chana dal split Bengal gram
- ¼ cup urad dal dhuli urad / split black gram, skinless
- 2½ to 3 cups water for pressure cooking
- 2 tbsp ghee or oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 medium tomatoes or ¾ cup canned crushed tomatoes; finely chopped
- 1–2 green chilies optional; slit
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ to 1 tsp red chili powder to taste
- 1 tsp salt or to taste; divided
- ½ tsp garam masala optional
- 2 tsp lemon juice or ½ tsp amchur dry mango powder; optional
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Optional finish (tadka on top)
- 1 tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dried red chilies
- ¼ tsp red chili powder for color, optional
Instructions
Rinse and optional soak
- Mix all five dals in a bowl. Rinse until the water runs mostly clear.
- Optional soak 20–30 minutes in warm water to soften chana and urad slightly. If you skip soaking, use closer to 3 cups water and do not rush natural release after pressure.
Sauté the base masala
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté (Normal). Add ghee or oil. When hot, add cumin seeds and let splutter.
- Add onion with ½ tsp salt. Cook until lightly golden, 5–7 minutes, stirring.
- Stir in ginger-garlic paste 30 seconds, then tomatoes and green chilies. Cook until tomatoes break down and oil separates at the edges, 6–8 minutes.
- Add turmeric, coriander powder, and red chili powder. Stir 20 seconds.
Pressure cook
- Drain soaked dals if soaked. Add dals to pot and stir into masala.
- Add 2½ to 3 cups water and remaining ½ tsp salt (reserve a pinch to adjust at end). Scrape bottom well to avoid Burn.
- Close lid, valve to Sealing. Pressure Cook on High 12 minutes.
- Natural pressure release 10–15 minutes, then release remaining steam carefully.
Finish and serve
- Stir dal. Mash a spoonful against pot wall for creamier body if desired. Simmer on Sauté (Low) 3–5 minutes to thicken, or stir in hot water if too thick.
- Taste. Add lemon or amchur for tang, garam masala for warmth, final salt if needed.
- Optional tadka in small pan: heat ghee, cumin, dried red chilies, pinch chili powder off heat; pour over dal. Garnish with cilantro.
Notes
Vegan: use oil instead of ghee for cooking and skip ghee tadka, or use oil for tadka.
Stovetop: after adding water, boil then simmer covered on low until dals mash easily, 35–50 minutes; stir often and add hot water as needed.
Three dals only? Keep toor if possible, add what split dals you have, and include at least one soft dal like masoor.
Gritty dal: usually undercooked chana or urad, or not enough NPR. Simmer gently on Sauté (Low) with lid ajar until a spoonful mashes easily.
Storage: cool completely; refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight container. Reheat with a splash of water; dal thickens as it sits.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!