One Pot Dal Tadka (Instant Pot)
A creamy, restaurant-style dal tadka made with a toor and masoor dal blend, pressure cooked in the Instant Pot and finished with a sizzling ghee tadka. Ready in 30 minutes, no soaking needed.
Ingredients
For the Dal
- 1/2 cup toor dal split pigeon peas; rinsed
- 1/2 cup masoor dal red lentils; rinsed
- 3 cups water
- 1 medium tomato roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt adjust to taste
For the Base Tadka
- 1 tbsp ghee or neutral oil for vegan
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 green chilli optional; slit
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
For the Finishing Tadka
- 1.5 tbsp ghee or oil for vegan
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3-4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 2 dried red chillies broken in half
- 1/4 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
Garnish
- fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
- a squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
Sauté the Base Tadka
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode (Normal). Add ghee and let it heat for 30 seconds.
- Add cumin seeds and let them splutter for 20-30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
- Add ginger, garlic, and green chilli. Sauté for 1 minute until the raw smell disappears.
- Add coriander powder and Kashmiri red chilli powder. Stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped tomato and cook for 2 minutes until it softens and the oil starts to separate.
Pressure Cook the Dal
- Add both rinsed dals, water, turmeric, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Cancel Sauté mode. Secure the lid and set the vent to Sealing.
- Pressure cook on High for 8 minutes.
- Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.
- Open the lid and stir. If too thick, add 1/4 cup hot water. If too thin, Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Make the Finishing Tadka
- Heat ghee in a small pan over medium heat.
- Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add sliced garlic and dried red chillies. Fry for 30-40 seconds until garlic turns light golden.
- Turn off the heat. Add Kashmiri red chilli powder and hing. The residual heat blooms the spices.
- Pour the entire tadka over the dal immediately.
Finish and Serve
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice and stir gently.
- Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve hot with steamed basmati rice or roti.
Notes
- Vegan version: Replace both ghee quantities with neutral oil (sunflower or avocado) or vegan butter.
- Adjusting consistency: Dal thickens as it cools. Add a splash of water when reheating and stir.
- Dal ratio swap: For a thicker dal use 3/4 cup toor + 1/4 cup masoor. For silkier, flip the ratio.
- Spice level: Skip the green chilli and reduce dried red chillies to 1 for a kid-friendly version.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Instant Pot size: Works in both 6 qt and 8 qt. Do not fill beyond the max fill line.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!