The Humble Lentil
There’s a proverb in urdu/hindi, “ghar ki murghi, dal barabar”, which loosely translates (i.e. i’m butchering) to “chicken is equivalent to lentils if it’s made in your own home.” Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get recipes & tips every week! The essence of the saying is similar to the famous idiom, “the grass is greener on the other side.” (The inability to value what’s ours seems to be a universal affliction.) There’s something else to it though. The proverb implies chicken’s superiority to lentils, as though lentils are boring or cheap. But lentils have a dignity of their own. In fact, they have it all. They’re cheap, yes, but they’re also readily available and abundant. They’re in the parameters of practically everyone’s version of healthy food – full of protein, fiber, and nutrients. And they’re the best kind of comfort food – deeply satisfying, yet uplifting and easy-to-digest. More Lentil and Legume Recipes: Rajma, Chana Masala, Easy Pakistani Haleem and Dahi Bhalla.
Tips on Making Instant Pot Red Lentil Dal
Typically when making red (masoor) lentils dal/daal, there’s a ‘tarka’ or tempering of onions and spices which is poured into the cooked dal. To make this recipe in the Instant Pot, I’ve adapted my go to Red Lentil Recipe to cook the lentils alongside the prepared a tomato-onion base. Both methods are fine and authentic, and yield similar results. If you would like more Instant Pot Dal recipes, check out my Instant Pot Whole Masoor Dal (Brown Lentil Curry) and Instant Pot Pakistani Chana Dal. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup lentils. This is good for 2 servings. I noticed that 1 cup would always yield extra so I made this a leftover-free version. You can always double the ingredients and keep the cooking time the same, but you’ll have to sauté for longer than directed in the recipe.
Where to find red lentils:
I’ve seen red split lentils at HEB, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, Whole Foods, and of course at South Asian grocery stores.
Serving Suggestions
Instant Pot Red Lentil Dal goes perfectly with plain, basmati rice, roti, paratha, or anything, really. On the side, you can serve:
Kachumber Salad, or fresh, crunchy vegetables chopped up with a bit of salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Yogurt or raita. Achaar (mixed pickle). More lemon or lime!
I made this red lentil dal recipe as a part of my friend Alex’s new series on her Instagram stories called ‘Pass the Dish’. Alex’s blog, The Defined Dish, won the Saveur Reader’s Choice Award in the Most-Inspired Weeknight Dinner Recipes category (I was also lucky enough to be nominated in the category). For Pass the Dish, she brings on a diverse range of bloggers to share a healthy, wholesome dish that they grew up eating that they can pass on not only to their families, but everyone else too. If there’s one dish I feel will definitely get passed down from generation to generation, it’s dal.
More Dal Recipes You’ll Love
Instant Pot Whole Masoor Dal (Brown Lentil Curry)Instant Pot Pakistani Chana DalPakistani Urad Dal – Maash Ki DalMy Go-To Masoor Dal Recipe (Red Lentil Curry) Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment telling me how it was! You can also take a quick picture and upload it directly into the comments. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you. Thank you!
