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a close up shot of a kadai of rice and a smaller kadai of dal with instant pot in the background
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Instant Pot Dal and Rice (using pot in pot method)

step by step recipe to cook dal and rice together in the instant pot (using the pot in pot method)
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 268kcal

Ingredients

For making dal

  • ½ cup toor dal / yellow split pigeon peas
  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • 1 teaspoon rai / mustard seeds
  • 7 cadipatta / curry leaves
  • 1 green chilli slit into two
  • teaspoon hing / asafoetida powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1.5-2 cup water divided

For making rice

  • 1 cup sona masoori rice white
  • 2 cup water

Instructions

Start with the tadka / tempering

  • Start Instant Pot on saute mode (normal), heat up the ghee (or you can use oil), and add in the mustard seeds.
  • When the mustard seeds start to flutter, add in the cadipatta , and slit green chillies.
  • Then in a minute or so, add in the hing powder. Let it roast for a minute or so, then turn off the saute mode.
  • The tadka /tempering for the konkani style dal I am making (dalithoy) is ready. You can go with the tadka of your choice to flavor your dal.

Add the dal in the main inner pot

  • Now add in the (washed & drained) dal, fresh water to cook the dal (dal to water: 1:3), and salt. Mix well.

Place rice in a pot on the trivet

  • Place the trivet in the main pot.
  • Then in a small pot, take (washed & drained) rice, and water to cook the rice (rice to water: 1:2), and place the pot on the trivet.

Pressure Cook Dal Rice

  • Close the Instant Pot lid, ensure it's sealed, and pressure cook for 8-10 minutes (see detailed note on choosing the cook time below).
  • Once the pressure cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, and then manually release all the pressure from the pot.
  • Then open the Instant Pot lid, take out the pot of rice using a pakkad (pincer tong), and next take out the trivet.
  • At this point, you'll still be able to see the soft dal chunks in the dal. You can use a whisk to get a smoother, less chunky dal.
  • This is also a good time to add any herbs like coriander. I am not adding because the dal I am making does not need coriander.
  • Finally, depending on the consistency of dal you want, you can also add more water, and adjust the salt if required, and turn on the Instant Pot on saute mode for a couple of minutes.
  • Instant Pot Dal and Rice is ready to serve!

Video

Notes

  1. This specific dal recipe is for making a konkani style dal (dalithoy) along with white rice, you can use the same method to make the dal in your preferred way with your choice of seasonings.
  2. Use a longer trivet if possible, so that only the base of the trivet is in the dal.
  3. You can use any steel pot to cook the rice, so long as it fits in your Instant Pot. I use the same utensils I used inside my regular Indian style pressure cooker. 
 
Important Notes on Pot in Pot Cooking Time for Dal Rice
  • The best things to cook together in the Instant Pot, using the pot in pot method are items that have cooking times that are similar or close. Dal (Toor Dal) & White Rice do not have the exact same cook time, but they are close, and there are tweaks that can be made to get them to cook together without overcooking / undercooking one or the other.
  • To begin with, as I shared in this post here, it takes 6 minutes to cook white rice in a pot on a raised trivet. However 6 minutes is not enough to cook dal properly. Dal requires 8-10 minutes of pressure cooking time.
  • 8 minutes if you don't mind the soft dal chunks in your dal, the kind of chunky dal that is popular in northern India, and 10 minutes if you want a more smoother dal.
  • I personally prefer a super smooth dal, which almost has the consistency of sambar, which is tricky to get even after 10 minutes of pressure cooking. So I give dal a headstart by soaking it in warm water for 30 minutes before adding it to the Instant Pot, and that does the trick for me.
  • If you are wondering whether the rice will get overcooked in the 4 extra minutes, trust me, it will not. A few additional minutes will not matter.
  • Mostly because, after 10 minutes of pressure cooking, I let the pressure release naturally only for 10 minutes, and then manually release all the pressure from the pot. As opposed to when I am cooking the rice for 6 minutes, I let all the pressure release from the pot naturally, which can take longer than 10 minutes.
  • Also, since the rice is raised on a trivet, further away from the source of heat, it doesn't cook as fast as the dal does. And needless to say, I don't pre-soak rice before cooking. You can also cover the rice pot with a lid to further slow down the cooking.

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: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 647mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 66IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg