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    Home » Instant Pot

    How to Cook Dal in Instant Pot ( Boiling Dal + Water to Dal Ratio + Cook Time)

    Published on January 14, 2022 · Updated on January 14, 2022 - This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See disclosure policy.

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    If you are looking to cook dal in Instant Pot, especially plain yellow dal, whether as a part of weekly meal prep, or to use for a dal recipe, then this is the post for you – a step by step guide on how to boil dal in Instant Pot (using the pot in pot method), shared along with the water to dal ratio for instant pot dal, cook time, and other things to consider.

    a spoon full of plain boiled yellow dal, held above a bowl full of boiled dal, with a small bowl of raw toor and yellow moong dal in the background

    Up until a few years back, toor dal used to be my default yellow dal, and that’s what I used as a base for most of my yellow dal recipes. But these days, I use a mix of toor dal and moong dal as my default base, because incorporating some yellow moong dal makes it lighter on the stomach.

    And I personally use toor dal and moong dal in a 50:50 ratio.

    But of-course you can choose to go with only toor dal or only moong dal or incorporate both in a ratio of your choice.

    That being said, here’s my step by step method of boiling dal in Instant Pot pressure cooker (using the pot in pot method)..

    Jump to:
    • How to Boil Dal in Instant Pot
    • Notes
    • Easy Dal Recipes to try..
    • 📖 RECIPE

    How to Boil Dal in Instant Pot

    • Properly wash and rinse the dal, and strain away any excess water. And here I usually take the dal directly in the utensil I will pressure cook. And I use the same steel utensil in the Instant Pot that I use in my regular Indian pressure cooker.
    • Add fresh water to dal in 3:1 ratio, i.e. 3 cups of water for every 1 cup of dal. You can also go with 2.5:1 or even 2:1 water to dal ratio, especially if you are okay with a chunkier dal. But I’ve found that, a 3:1 water to dal ratio works well, especially in the Instant Pot, whether you want a chunkier dal (which is okay for things like dal tadka), or even a smooth dal (for making things like sambar).
    side by side photos of washed and strained yellow dal (toor and moong), which is then filled with water for pressure cooking
    • In the main pot of the Instant Pot, add 2 cups of water. Some just add a cup of water, but I prefer to add 2 cups, because when there is more water, the Instant Pot will take a little more time to come to pressure etc, which in turn will ensure that the dal is properly boiled, till it’s smooth.
    • Place a trivet in it. You can use the regular trivet that comes with the Instant Pot, as the regular trivet is shorter, and so the dal is as close to the base as possible, which helps in cooking it faster.
    • On the trivet, place the utensil with the dal & water, and cover it with a lid. I prefer to cover with a lid, but it’s not mandatory. I just like to keep things contained, especially since I usually do this on weekends, when I first boil a few things like dal, potatoes, boiled eggs etc, as a part of meal prep, and then use the main pot for other things like making bhuna masala or palak paneer etc.
    • Close the Instant Pot lid. And ensure it is sealed.
    step by step photos of cooking dal in the instant pot
    • Pressure cook for 10 minutes on high. If you need a smoother dal, then you can add 1-2 minutes to the pressure cooking time. Or soak the dal for 30 minutes before pressure cooking.

      If you are using a a mix of toor dal & moong dal, pressure cooking for 10-12 minutes will be enough to get a relatively smooth dal. But if you are using only toor dal, you will need to pressure cook for 14 minutes to get a smooth dal. Because moong dal cooks faster than toor dal.
    • When the cooking cycle is done, let the pressure release naturally. This usually takes about 15 minutes.
    • I usually quickly whisk the boiled dal, while it’s still hot, to get a smoother dal base for my recipes. But of-course that’s just personal preference.
    step by step photos of pressure cooking dal in the instant pot to get boiled dal

    Notes

    1. You can always boil / cook dal in the main pot of the Instant Pot. But I usually prefer to do that only when I am making an entire dal recipe in the Instant Pot. Especially because I mostly boil smaller quantities of dal, and it can be easily done using the pot in pot method, and the main pot of the Instant Pot stays clean, to be used for other things.

    2. I usually boil ½ cup of dal at a time, but this recipe works well for anywhere from ½ -1½ cup of dal. The only difference is that when the quantity of dal is increased, the pot takes a few additional minutes to come to pressure as well as de-pressurize.

      And as such, the pot in pot method usually works well for only up to 1½ cup of dal, at-least in my 6 quart Instant Pot. If you need to boil more dal than that, then it’s best to do it in the main pot of the Instant Pot.
    a spoon full of plain boiled yellow dal, held above a bowl full of boiled dal, with a small bowl of raw toor and yellow moong dal in the background

    Easy Dal Recipes to try..

    ⭐️ Delicious Dalitoy (an easy konkani style dal)
    ⭐️ Daali Varan (another quick konkani style dal)
    ⭐️ Goda Varan (simple, easy & basic ghee dal)
    ⭐️ Dal Tadka (stovetop + instant pot recipe)
    ⭐️ Easy Sambar Recipe (perfect for beginners)

    As always, I hope you found this recipe useful. If you did, please let me know your rating ⭐️ and feedback 📲 in the comments below, or simply rate the recipe right on the recipe card. I’d really appreciate it. ❤️ 

    📖 RECIPE

    a spoon full of plain boiled yellow dal, held above a bowl full of boiled dal, with a small bowl of raw toor and yellow moong dal in the background

    How to Cook Dal in Instant Pot (Boiling Dal + Water to Dal Ratio + Cook Time)

    A quick and easy recipe that shares how to boil dal in the Instant Pot (using the pot in pot method) – makes for a great addition to your weekly meal prep routine.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Kitchen Basics
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 75kcal
    Author: Shantala Shenoy Nayak

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot Duo Nova
    • Short Trivet

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup toor dal (split yellow pigeon peas)
    • ¼ cup yellow moong dal (split and skinned green gram)
    • 1½ cup water for pressure cooking dal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Take ¼ cup toor dal and ¼ cup yellow moong dal, and properly wash & rinse them, and then strain away the excess water.
    • Add 1½ cup fresh water to the dal for pressure cooking.
    • In the main pot of the Instant Pot, add 2 cups of water, and place a trivet in it.
    • On the trivet, place the utensil containing dal and water, and cover it with a lid.
    • Close the Instant Pot lid, and ensure it's sealed.
    • Pressure cook for 10 minutes on high. If you need a smoother dal, then you can add 1-2 minutes to the pressure cooking time. Or soak the dal for 30 minutes before pressure cooking.
    • When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure release naturally.
    • Boiled dal is ready!  (I usually quickly whisk it, while it’s still hot, to get a smoother dal base for my recipes. But of-course that’s just personal preference.)

    Notes

    1. I used to use only toor dal as my base for most dal recipes, but these days I use a mix of toor dal and moong dal as my default base, because incorporating some yellow moong dal makes it lighter on the stomach. And I personally use toor dal and moong dal in a 50:50 ratio. But of-course you can choose to go with only toor dal or only moong dal or incorporate both in a ratio of your choice.
    2. If you are using a a mix of toor dal & moong dal, pressure cooking for 10-12 minutes will be enough to get a relatively smooth dal. But if you are using only toor dal, you will need to pressure cook for 14 minutes to get a smooth dal. Because moong dal cooks faster than toor dal. The smoothness of dal is of-course personal preference. I am okay with slightly chunky dal for something like dal tadka, but need a pretty smooth dal base for making sambar.
    3. Also I’ve found that, a 3:1 water to dal ratio works well, especially in the Instant Pot, but you can also go with 2.5:1 or even 2:1 water to dal ratio, especially if you are okay with a chunkier dal.
    4. You can always boil / cook dal in the main pot of the Instant Pot. But I usually prefer to do that only when I am making an entire dal recipe in the Instant Pot. Especially because I mostly boil smaller quantities of dal, and it can be easily done using the pot in pot method, and the main pot of the Instant Pot stays clean, to be used for other things.
    5. My go-to quantity is ½ cup of dal, but this recipe works well for anywhere from ½ -1½ cup of dal. The only difference is that when the quantity of dal is increased, the pot takes a few additional minutes to come to pressure as well as de-pressurize. And as such, the pot in pot method usually works well for up to 1½ cup of dal, at-least in my 6 quart Instant Pot. If you need to boil more dal than that, then it’s best to do it in the main pot of the Instant Pot.

    Please note: The nutrition values are best estimates provided as a courtesy. The exact values can vary depending on the exact ingredients or brands used. If you rely on them for your specific diet and/or health issues, please consult a registered dietician or nutritionist.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 75kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 16mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

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    Hi there, I am Shantala, an Indian foodie in an American kitchen. Welcome to The Love of Spice - my food blog, virtual home & passion project, all rolled into one. On here I share Easy-to-Follow Family Recipes, along with tips on Indian Meal Planning & Lunch Box Ideas for Kids & Adults. I hope you enjoy the site, and find it useful. :) read more

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