Protein packed, full of comforting and warming spices and just a few minutes of kitchen time- that’s all this Instant Pot fenugreek dal recipe is all about. If you’ve been on the hunt for a quick recipe that you can whip up on a rushed weekday, this is the one!
But before you jump right into the recipe, here’s all you need to know about it.
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Ingredients For the Recipe
You’ll need a very classic set of pantry staples to make this Instant Pot fenugreek dal.
- Mustard oil: 1 tbsp
- Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
- Dry fenugreek leaves: 1 tsp
- Onions (chopped): ½ cup
- Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
- Tomatoes (chopped): ¼ cup
- Fenugreek leaves (chopped): 1 cup
- Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
- Red chili powder: 2 tsps
- Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
- Cumin powder: ½ tbsp
- Garam masala: ½ tbsp
- Dry mango powder: 1 tsp
- Salt: 2 tsps or as per taste
- Red lentils or Masoor Dal (boiled): 1 cup
- Water: 1 cup
How to Make the Instant Pot Fenugreek Dal
Once you have all the ingredients ready, here’s what you need to do to make the dal from scratch.
Turn on the Instant Pot and set to Saute mode. Once it's heated, add in oil, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and dry fenugreek seeds.
Once the cumin seeds start to sizzle, add in the chopped onions followed by ginger garlic paste. Fry for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, till onions start to brown.
Add in chopped tomatoes and let it cook for a couple of minutes till the tomatoes start to soften and pulp.
Add the fenugreek leaves next and saute.
Add in spices and salt, and give it a quick mix.
Mix in the boiled lentils and water and let it come to a quick boil.
Serve hot with rice
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! Red lentils are the perfect choice for this recipe since they take the least amount of time to cook, and are super versatile and inexpensive, you can still try and replicate the same recipe with any other lentil of your choice.
Toor dal and Chana dal are two good alternatives you can opt for, but remember that the cooking time for both of these will be slightly higher. You can also use a combination of two or more lentils to make this dal. 
You sure can! To cut down on the cooking time, you can cook the lentils separately and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Another excellent way to ensure that your lentils are soft and tender is to soak them overnight, and then cook them.
Soaking the lentils doesn’t just reduce cooking time, but also reduces their phytic acid content, which makes the dal easier to digest.
Any leftover dal can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for upto 3 days. Remember that this dal is freezer friendly too, which means you can batch make it and freeze it for months. Then, when you want to enjoy it, just allow it to thaw and reheat it with a bit of water, and you’re sorted. 
Tips & Tricks to Make the Instant Pot Fenugreek Dal
Making the Instant Pot fenugreek dal is fairly simple, but having these little hacks handy can help.
- This wholesome dal is the perfect way to get some greens into your meals. If you’re not too keen on using a lot of fenugreek leaves, you can also choose to add some spinach instead.
- While buying fresh fenugreek leaves is the way to go, you can also opt for the frozen variety- it can save a lot of your cooking and prep time.
- Want to add a bit more to your dal? You can also throw in some shredded chicken to make the meal more nutritious.
- Mustard oil adds a nice earthy flavor to the dal, but if you don’t have it, you can use any other cooking oil too. Ghee is the next best alternative, since it adds a wonderful flavor to the meal.
- Not too fond of the slightly bitter taste that fenugreek leaves lend the dal? Skip adding the dried fenugreek leaves and just stick to using the fresh ones.
- The tomatoes add a nice bit of tanginess to the dal, but if you really want some extra sourness to balance out the bitterness of the fenugreek leaves, you can also squeeze some lemon juice or add a bit of tamarind paste into the mix.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Your Instant Pot fenugreek dal tastes best when served fresh with some chapatis or steamed rice. You can also team it up with some naan bread or any other flatbread of your choice.
If you’re fond of lentil soups, you can also enjoy it all on its own too.
Enjoyed trying your hands at this simple, filling meal? Looking for some more such easy meal ideas to try out? Here are a few good ones you might want to take a peek at.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Fenugreek Dal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Mustard oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon Dry fenugreek leaves
- ½ cup Onions , (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- ¼ cup Tomatoes , (chopped)
- 1 cup Fenugreek leaves, (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon Red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon Coriander powder
- ½ tablespoon Cumin powder
- ½ tablespoon Garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Dry mango powder
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Red lentils or Masoor Dal , (boiled)
- 1 cup Water
Instructions
- Turn on the Instant Pot and set to Saute mode. Once it's heated, add in oil, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and dry fenugreek seeds.
- Once the cumin seeds start to sizzle, add in the chopped onions followed by ginger garlic paste. Fry for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, till onions start to brown.
- Add in chopped tomatoes and let it cook for a couple of minutes till the tomatoes start to soften and pulp.
- Add the fenugreek leaves next and saute.
- Add in spices and salt, and give it a quick mix.
- Mix in the boiled lentils and water and let it come to a quick boil.
- Serve hot with rice.
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