Making Rice & dal (lentils) in your instant pot is super easy and quick. This is a beginners guide to cook rice & dal together in instant pot.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 2
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian cuisine

Ingredients

  • ½ cup toor dal ((or ¼ cup moong dal & ¼ cup toor dal))
  • 1½ cups water ((to add later ¼ cup hot water if needed))
  • ½ to ¾ cup tomatoes (chopped (2 medium))
  • 1 tablespoon oil (or ghee)
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon mustard seeds ((optional))
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 sprig curry leaves ((or small bay leaf))
  • 1 green chili (slit or chopped)
  • 1 red chili ((optional))
  • 1 garlic clove (chopped)
  • ½ inch ginger (chopped (optional))
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoons lemon juice (or amchur powder (dry mango powder))
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (chopped or ½ tsp kasuri methi)
  • 1 cup rice ((basmati or any))
  • 1¼ cup water ((for basmati, 2 cups for masuri, refer notes))

Method

Preparation

  1. Add rice to a steel bowl and rinse it well a few times. Then soak it until you prepare the rest.
  2. Rinse and chop tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Set them aside.
  3. Add dal to a bowl or strainer and rinse it well a few times under running water. Drain the water completely.

How to Make Instant Pot Dal

  1. Press the saute button on your IP and pour oil to the steel insert.
  2. Add the mustard, cumin, red chilli & green chilli.
  3. Wait for the mustards to pop, then add curry leaves, ginger and garlic. Saute for a minute.
  4. Then add tomatoes, salt, turmeric and red chilli powder.
  5. Saute all of them just for 1 to 2 minutes.
  6. Add the rinsed dal and pour water. Deglaze by scraping the bottom of the pot with the spatula to release any food bits stuck.
  7. Place a long legged trivet inside the pot and then place the rice bowl. Pour water to the rice bowl.
  8. Cover the rice bowl. Secure the instant pot with the lid.
  9. Position the steam release handle to sealing. Press cancel and then press pressure cook. Set the timer to 9 mins.
  10. Let the pressure release naturally. Then remove the rice bowl carefully & then the trivet.
  11. Stir the dal and check the salt. If needed add more and squeeze in lemon juice and sprinkle coriander leaves.
  12. If the dal is too thick then add ¼ cup water to bring it to consistency.
  13. Serve dal with rice or roti. Drizzle some ghee over hot dal.

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.