Instant Pot Chana Dal

Easy and delicious this Instant Pot Chana Dal is made with simple pantry ingredients and is a healthy one pot dish. Split Chickpeas made flavorful and satisfying with Indian spices.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Chana dal in instant pot, chana dal instant pot without soaking, chana dal recipe, instant pot chana dal recipe, vegan chana dal recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 246kcal

Author Gunjan

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp asafetida/Hing
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes fresh/frozen/dried)
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1 cup rinsed Chana dal
3 cups water
salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (to garnish)

Instructions

Turn on your instant pot at sauté mode and heat oil in it. Then add, cumin seeds, asafetida, ginger garlic pasta to it. Mix them in the hot oil.
Sauté onions in it and immediately toss in coconut flakes. Sauté until golden in color.
Add tomatoes and sauté until tomatoes are mushy.
Add turmeric powder, chili powder, cinnamon powder, garam masala and mix well.
Add rinsed Chana dal and sauté for 30 seconds. Add water and salt to it and stir well.
Cancel the sauté mode and close the lid, seal the valve. Turn it on at high manual for 20 minutes. Once done, release the pressure and open the lid. Roughly mash cooked dal with a food masher. (Do not mash it fine, chana dal should hold its shape). If you feel its slightly thick in consistency, the add ¼ cup of warm water to it and let it rest covered for 1 minute.
Remove the lid, stir and garnish with cilantro and serve it with rice.

Notes

How to cook on stove top:

Indian pressure cooker - you may make this in the Indian pressure cooker by following the same steps. Give it 3-4 whistle and let it release its steam naturally. Follow the rest of the steps as explained above.
Saucepan – rinse and soak Chana dal in 2 cups water for 30 minutes before cooking. Follow the steps as explained until step 4. Then, add soaked Chana dal along with its water. Add 1 cup more water followed by salt. Stir and let it cook covered at medium-high flame. Make sure it does not overflow so you may want to keep a tiny gap for the steam to escape. Cook until dal is soft and tender. Adjust the water and salt as per your desired consistency and taste. Roughly mash the cooked dal to get a thick consistency and garnish.

This recipe tastes best when served immediately but you may refrigerate the leftovers in an air tight container for about 1 week. Warm it up nicely on the stove top. Dal may absorb the liquid so feel free to add water and adjust the salt.
Chana dal is spilt chickpeas and different from yellow split peas.

Nutrition