A basic Indian lentil dish - dal fry made with toor dal (split pigeon peas), spices & herbs. Serve this protein packed, delicious and comforting food with rice, naan or roti. Instructions for regular pot, traditional cooker & Instant pot included.
Recipe Snapshot
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 30 minutes
- Total time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3 · 3 people
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
- 1 cup toor dal ((split pigeon peas) (or ¾ cup toor dal + ¼ cup moong dal or masoor dal))
- 2½ cups water ((½ cup more for a thin consistency))
- 2 tablespoons ghee ((or oil or butter))
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds ((optional))
- ⅛ teaspoon hing ((asafoetida))
- 1 dried red chilli (broken (optional))
- 1 to 2 green chilies ((slit or chopped) (optional))
- 1 medium onion ((¼ cup chopped finely))
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste ((or ½ inch ginger & 2 garlic cloves fine chopped))
- 1 large tomato ((½ cup chopped or pureed))
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder ((adjust to taste))
- ½ teaspoon garam masala ((adjust to taste))
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt ((adjust to taste))
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (crushed (dried fenugreek leaves))
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (finely chopped)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or as needed (optional))
Method
Preparation
- Add dal to a pot or cooker. Rinse it well a few times until water runs clear.
- To cook in pressure cooker: Pour water. Pressure cook on a medium heat for 2 to 3 whistles or in the instant pot for 8 mins. When the pressure drops, open the lid and mash the dal slightly.
- To cook in pot: To cut down the cook time, soak dal for 30 minutes in boiling hot water. Later bring it to a boil. Simmer uncovered until soft & mushy, adding more hot water only if needed.
How to Make Dal Fry
- Heat a pan with ghee, oil or butter. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and dried red chili. When the spices begin to splutter, add hing.
- Next add onions and green chilies. Saute until the onions turn golden.
- Add ginger garlic and saute until the raw smell of ginger garlic goes off. This takes about a minute.
- Then add tomatoes and salt. Saute on a medium flame until tomatoes turn soft.
- Add red chili powder, garam masala and turmeric. Saute for 2 mins till the masala begins to smell good & leaves the pan.
- Add the mashed dal & mix well. Pour little more hot water if needed to bring it to a desired consistency. (watch video)
- Cook until the dal begins to bubble well. When dal fry reaches the desired consistency, crush kasuri methi in your palms and add it.
- Taste test and add more salt if needed. Garnish with coriander leaves.
- Serve dal fry with rice, roti, butter naan or paratha. When the temperature comes down slightly squeeze in some lemon juice.
Instant Pot Dal Fry
- Press the SAUTE button on instant pot and pour ghee to the steel insert. When the ghee melts, add the cumin, red chilli & mustard (optional).
- As soon as the spices pop, add hing, green chilli & onions. Saute for 2 mins and then fry ginger garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add in tomatoes and salt. Saute until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
- Stir in red chilli powder, turmeric and garam masala. Add rinsed dal and pour water.
- Press CANCEL button. Mix well and scrape the bottom with the spatula to release any bits of food stuck.
- Optional - You can also place a long legged trivet and then place your rice bowl and cover. Secure the Instant pot with the lid. Set the steam vent to sealing position.
- Press the PRESSURE COOK button, high pressure and set the timer to 8 minutes. When the IP beeps wait for the natural release for 10 mins.
- Mash the dal to suit your liking. Then add kasuri methi and coriander leaves. Taste test and add more salt if needed.
- If you like thinner consistency you can add little hot water and mix.
- Sprinkle some lemon juice over the dal fry & serve with rice.
Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note
Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.