Whole masoor dal is called sabut masoor in the Hindi language. In English, it is called brown lentils.  The basic North Indian style onion-tomato masala is made and lentils are cooked with this masala. There are two ways you can make it, 1) stovetop version and 2) instant pot whole masoor dal.

❤️ You’ll Love This Whole Masoor Dal Recipe

Taste: Medium spicy and super flavorful with basic Indian spices. Texture: Thick gravy with soft, melt-in-your-mouth kind and naturally creamy texture of lentils.

Comforting meal: This makes a healthy, filling vegetarian meal when served with rice, quinoa, or roti. A side of salad makes is wholesome. Leftovers make a great next-day lunch. I would make a double batch for the following day. Such a time saver! Freezer-friendly: You can make a large batch and freeze it in portions for later busy days for a quick meal. You just have to cook the rice – follow this instant pot basmati rice method. Quick & easy to make: When you make this masoor dal in instant pot, It comes together in 40 minutes (10 minutes of prep time + 10 minutes of active cooking time + 20 minutes of passive cooking time). It’s a one-pot meal when made in the instant pot.

🧾 Ingredient Notes

Here is the pic of the ingredients required to make whole masoor dal. All of them are very easily available in your pantry if you cook Indian food often.

Whole masoor dal (Brown lentils or Sabut masoor): Here in the pic you can see the brown color masoor dal and the same I have used while making it in instant pot. But there are green color lentils also available, you can use any (as you can see I have used green lentils in the stovetop version).  Onion: When it comes to Indian cooking, I prefer red onion. Tomatoes: I highly recommend using plum or Roma tomatoes for Indian cooking. Stay away from those large tomatoes that have a more watery center.  Ginger, Garlic: most of the time I prefer to grate fresh ginger and garlic for my Indian cooking. But in a pinch, you can use store-bought or homemade ginger garlic paste. Green chilies: Adjust the amount as per your liking spice level. Spice powders: Basic Indian spices are used that you find in masala dabba for everyday cooking. Lemon juice (or lime juice): A little amount at the end will perk up the flavors. So do not skip. Cilantro: It is added for garnishing and fresh flavor.

👩‍🍳 How To Make Whole Masoor Dal In Instant Pot?

Prep: Wash/rinse sabut masoor dal using regular, cold tap water 2-3 times or until the water is clear (not cloudy anymore).

  1. Turn on the instant pot with a saute mode. Once hot add oil. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and let them sizzle a bit.
  2. Add chopped onion, and sprinkle a pinch of salt to speed up the cooking process. Cook until onions turn soft and light pink in color. 3, 4) Add ginger, garlic paste, and green chili. Mix and saute for a minute or until the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away. 5, 6) Add tomatoes and mix. Cook until tomatoes become soft and almost mushy.
  3. Add remaining salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder.
  4. Mix and cook for a minute, if the spices are burning then turn off the saute mode and add a splash of water to avoid burning.  9, 10) Add rinsed lentils and water. Stir everything.
  5. Cover the instant pot with a lid, and keep the valve in a sealing position. Cook on manual (high pressure) for 15 minutes. 
  6. Let the pressure go down by itself (NPR – Natural Pressure Release). Once the pin drops open the lid. Stir and check the consistency of the dal and if needed add more water and simmer for 2-3 minutes. If the gravy looks good then no need to simmer. 13, 14, 15) Add garam masala, squeeze lemon juice, and add chopped cilantro.
  7. Mix and It is ready to serve.

👩‍🍳 How To Make Whole Masoor Dal? (StoveTop) 

  1. Wash/rinse lentils using regular, cold tap water 2-3 times or until the water is clear (not cloudy anymore).
  2. Take that into a pressure cooker and add 1 ½ cups of water. Cover with the lid, put the weight on, and cook on medium heat for 5-6 whistles. Let the pressure go down by itself and open the lid.
  3. Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
  4. Add ginger garlic and green chili, and saute for 40-45 seconds or until the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away. 5, 6) Add chopped onions and sprinkle a little salt. Cook until onions are soft and light pink in color. 7, 8) Mix in chopped tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are soft and almost mushy. 9, 10) Add remaining salt and spice powders (turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and garam masala). Mix and saute for a minute.
  5. Add cooked masoor dal and another ½-1 cup of water depending on the consistency you prefer. Mix and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
  6. Squeeze fresh lemon juice.
  7. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and turn off the stove.
  8. Remove it to a serving bowl.

🍽 Serving Ideas For Whole Masoor Dal

It tastes best when served with basmati rice or quinoa or any other grains like couscous, and millet.  It can be served with paratha or roti or any store-bought flatbread. To make a complete Indian meal: serve papad, Indian onion salad, and chaas on the side. You can serve mango pickle or green chutney as well.

💭 Expert Tips

Adjust the consistency of dal by increasing or reducing the amount of water. If it is too runny after cooking, then you can turn on the saute mode and simmer till you get the desired consistency. When cooking in Instant pot, always add garam masala after pressure cooking. Otherwise, it loses its aroma and flavor.

🥣 Storage Instructions

Refrigerator: It stays good for 4-5 days when stored in an airtight container. At the time of re-heating, you may want to add a little splash of water. Because this lentil curry will thicken after cooling and storing. Freeze: Store in a freezer-safe container (in smaller portions) and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw into refrigerator or countertop and reheat on the stovetop (don’t forget to add little water to get the right consistency).

Did you try this whole masoor dal recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below.

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