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Dal Tarka Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker– Dal is the Indian word for lentils and Tarka means tempering. This Dal Tarka recipe is very popular in North India and is made in every home with some variation. I have used a combination of 3 different lentils-Toor/Arhar Dal called Split Pigeon Peas in English, Yellow Moong Dal-called split yellow lentils in English and Chana Dal known as Split chickpeas or Bengal Gram. The ideal texture of Dal tarka should be soft and mushy yet show some texture. This combination of dals provides the right texture. The toor and moong dal get completely soft but since chana dal takes time to cook, it provides some texture to the dal. This Dal can be made with just Toor dal, Toor and Moong, Moong and Masoor but the combination I have used provides the ideal taste and texture.

What is Tarka/Tadka- Tarka is a method where ghee or oil is heated up and then aromatics like onions, ginger and garlic are cooked along with whole spices like cumin and mustard seeds. Different dals and regions use different ingredients in the tarka. Asafoetida, curry leaves, whole red chilies, tomatoes, garam masala are common ingredients used in tarka. This Dal tarka recipe uses a Second Tempering to layer the flavors further.

I have shared both Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker methods in the recipe card. I make this dal often for parties at my house. I like to make the 2 tarkas/ temperings a day before and usually cook the dal in the instant pot or pressure cooker the day of my party. If I make the tarka from before, then boil the dal with salt and turmeric and skip it in the tarka. Dal will thicken when it cools. Add boiling hot water as needed to adjust consistency. This dal is a bit on the thick side, not watery.

Make Dal Tarka in pot- If you dont have Instant pot or Pressure Cooker, you can maker it by boiling the dal in a pot. Wash and soak the dal. Add the dals with 3 cups of water, salt and turmeric. Bring to a boil. Remove the foamy scum with a ladle, reduce the heat and cover and cook for 20-25 minutes. Depending on the consistency preferred, add boiling hot water if needed and cook till you get the desired consistency. The dals should be soft and blended in and the chana dal should be cooked but still showing some texture.

Some other Recipes to try are-

Moong Dal Ka Halwa

Mixed Dal Instant Dosa-No Rice No fermentation

Red lentil Bread/Masoor Dal Bread-No Yeast V&GF

Instant Pot Black Chickpeas-Sookha Kala Chana/Navratri parshad

Dum Aloo-No Onion,Ginger or Garlic-Instant Pot Recipe

Easy Minestrone Soup in 3 minutes

Gajar Halwa in Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker-without Grating

Here is the written recipe followed by the step by step pictorial one-

Dal Tarka Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipe

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Course Beans, dal, Dinner, lentils, lunch

Cuisine Asian, Bihari, Gujarati food, Indian, Maharashtrian food, North Indian, Punjabi, South Indian

Equipment

1 Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
1 small pan
1 cutting board
1 Knife
1 measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

3/4 cup Toor/Arhar Dal
1/4 cup Yellow Moong Dal
3 tbsp Chana Dal
3 cups water May need more later to adjust consistency
1 tsp salt I used close to 1.5 tsp, start with 1 tsp and add more if needed
1/4 tsp Turmeric/Haldi

1st Tarka/Tempering

2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds/jeera
1.5 tsp finely chopped ginger
1.5 tsp finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 green chili, chopped optional
1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder/Lal Mirch Powder
1/4-1/2 tsp Garam masala powder as per preference
1 cup chopped tomatoes I used 1 1/2 Roma tomatoes

Toppings

1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp cilantro/coriander/fresh dhaniya washed and chopped

2nd Tarka/Tempering

2 tbsp Ghee Use oil for vegan
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds/Jeera
1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds/Rai optional
2 whole Dry Red Chilies I had Small Red ones, so I used 5 of them
1/2-1 tbsp chopped garlic I used 1 tbsp
2 sprigs curry leaves, washed and dried optional
Pinch of Asafoetida/hing
1/3 tsp Paprika/Kashmiri Lal Mirch This provides vibrant red color to the tempering

Instructions

For Instant Pot

Wash the dals 4-5 times till the water runs clear. Soak the dals in 3 cups water while we chop our ingredients for tarka
Chop onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes and set aside. If using green chili, chop that as well We need garlic for both the first and second tempering, so chop extra garlic for the second tempering as well
Turn Instant Pot to Saute mode
Add oil, once the oil is hot add the Cumin seeds, till they start crackling
Add ginger and garlic and fry for few minutes but do not brown
Add chopped onions and cook till onions are translucent
Press 'cancel' to stop the saute mode
Add Red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric and salt and mix well
Turn the Instant Pot back to Saute and add the chopped tomatoes. Cook till the tomatoes are soft and mushy
Press 'cancel'. Rinse the dals one more time, throw away the water it was soaking in and add the soaked dals to the Instant Pot
Add 3 cups water and choose the manual pressure cook option for 6 minutes. The knob should be on 'sealing'
Let the pressure release naturally and the pin drop down. Open the Instant Pot. At this point the toor dal and moong dal should have turned mushy but there should be some texture from the chana dal(it takes longer to cook)
Add kasuri methi(crushed between your palms), lemon juice and chopped cilantro/coriander/dhania and bring to one boil

2nd Tarka/Tempering

In a small pan, heat ghee, use oil for vegan. To hot ghee/oil add cumin and mustard seeds and let them crackle
Add Dry red chilies and garlic. stir for few minutes but do not brown the garlic.
Turn off the heat, Immediately add curry leaves, asafoetida and paprika and pour over hot dal

Dal tarka in Pressure Cooker

In pressure cooker, add washed soaked dal, 3 cups water, salt and turmeric and cook for 3 whistles. let pressure release naturally.
In a pan make the first tarka. Heat oil. Add cumin seeds, when they crackle, add the ginger and garlic and fry but do not brown. Add onion and cook till translucent.
Add Red chili powder, garam masala, stir.(we already added the turmeric and salt to the dal, so skip it in the tarka) Immediately add tomatoes and cook till soft and mushy. Add to dal in pressure cooker. Add kasuri methi, lemon juice, coriander leaves and bring to 1boil
Pour your 2nd tarka/tempering on top

Video

Notes

If you want to prep from before- make the two tarkas day before and keep them in the fridge. I do this when I am making for a party. Simply boil the dal-either in instant pot or pressure cooker and mix in the tarka. When I boil the dal from before- I cook it with salt and turmeric. Skip both in the tarka. The second tempering is always added just before serving. I have made the dal many times using fresh ginger garlic or the frozen minced ginger garlic- both give good results, its a matter of time and convenience. I have never used the jarred ginger garlic paste. It has preservatives and vinegar and could alter the taste of the dal. I didnt have fresh green chilies, so I didnt use it this time, but I like to use fresh green chilies in the tarka when i have it. You can reduce the amount of red chilie powder. Using curry leaves and mustard seeds is not very typical of North Indian cooking. You can skip both in the second tempering. I have used both.

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Here is the step by step pictorial recipe-

Wash the dals 4-5 times till the water runs clear. Soak the dals in 3 cups water while we chop our ingredients for tarka

Chop onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes and set aside. If using green chili, chop that as well.

We need garlic for both the first and second tempering, so chop extra garlic for the second tempering as well

I forgot to take a picture of the chopped tomatoes

Turn Instant Pot to Saute mode

Add oil, once the oil is hot add the Cumin seeds, till they start crackling

Add ginger and garlic and fry for few minutes but do not brown

Add chopped onions

Cook till onions are translucent

Press ‘cancel’ to stop the saute mode(This prevents the spices from getting burnt)

Add Red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric and salt and mix well

Turn the Instant Pot back to Saute and add the chopped tomatoes. Cook till the tomatoes are soft and mushy

Press ‘cancel’. Rinse the dals one more time, throw away the water it was soaking in

Add the soaked dals to the Instant Pot

Add 3 cups water and choose the manual pressure cook option for 6 minutes. The knob should be on ‘sealing’

Let the pressure release naturally and the pin drop down.

Open the Instant Pot. At this point the toor dal and moong dal should have turned mushy but there should be some texture from the chana dal(it takes longer to cook)