Best Madras Dhal Recipes

INSTANT POT DAL MAKHANI WITH BROWN RICE

Instant Pot Dal Makhani with Brown Rice image

A creamy lentil dish cooked with whole black lentils and kidney beans, lightly spiced to enjoy as a chili or over rice!

Provided by Archana Mundhe

Time 1h

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

1 cup black gram beans ((adzuki beans or whole brown lentils) **)
⅓ cup red kidney beans (**)
1 tablespoon oil ((ghee or butter))
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium yellow onion (finely diced)
1 tablespoon ginger (paste)
1 tablespoon garlic (paste )
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups tomatoes (diced )
2 cups water
½ cup light cream (**)
1 teaspoon garam masala
¼ cup cilantro (chopped )
1 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
1 cup brown rice (rinsed and drained )
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt

Steps:

Rinse and soak black gram beans and red kidney beans in 3 cups of water. Overnight or 6-8 hours. Drain the water after soaking and keep the beans aside.
Set Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat oil. Add cumin seeds to the oil and allow them to sizzle. Add onions and mix well.
Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, red chili powder, salt, tomatoes and beans. Add water and mix well.
To make pot-in-pot brown rice (optional step)- Add rice, water, and salt to a stainless steel container. Put a tall trivet over the beans. Place the rice container on the trivet.
Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook (Hi) for 30 minutes followed by Natural Pressure Release.
Open Instant Pot and set to sauté mode. Carefully take out the Rice container and the trivet. Stir in cream, add garam masala and garnish with cilantro and dried fenugreek leaves.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 328 kcal, Carbohydrate 55 g, Protein 12 g, Fat 7 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, Cholesterol 11 mg, Sodium 1185 mg, Fiber 8 g, Sugar 2 g, ServingSize 1 serving

DAL (INDIAN LENTIL CURRY)

Dal (Indian Lentil Curry) image

Recipe video below. There are countless variations of Dal all across India. This is a northern Indian version called "dal tadka" that's akin to what is served in Indian restaurants. "Tadka" refers to spices sizzling in hot oil that's poured over the dal. It's dramatic and gives it a flavour bump - but is optional. I include it for company, and leave it out for midweek or if being served alongside other punchy flavoured curries. Heat level in this recipe is mild - just a tickle. If you like it fiery, try leaving in the seeds in the chillies and/or adding some chilli powder. This is a dal that's flavourful to have as a main!

Provided by Nagi

Time 1h45m

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

2 tbsp / 30 g ghee (, or 1 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp/15g butter (Note 1))
2 green cayenne chillies (, deseeded and cut into chunks (optional) (Note 2))
1 medium onion (, finely chopped (brown or yellow))
6 garlic cloves (, finely chopped)
1 tbsp ginger (, finely chopped (1.5cm / 3/5"))
8 fresh curry leaves (, or 6 dried (Note 3))
1 tomato (, chopped)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 cup dried chana dal (, yellow split peas or other yellow lentils (Note 4 for other lentils))
4 cups / 1 litre water
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/8 tsp garam marsala
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp / 20g ghee (, or half each butter + oil (Note 1))
1 eschalot or 1/4 small onion (, halved lengthways and sliced (Note 5))
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds ((optional))
3 dried chillies (, broken in half, seeds removed (optional))
Fresh coriander/cilantro sprigs ((optional))
Steamed basmati rice

Steps:

Soak Lentils: Rinse lentils and leave to soak in plenty of water for 1 hour. Drain in colander.
Heat ghee/oil in a heavy based saucepan over high heat. Add green chillies and fry for a minute until starting to blister.
Add onions and fry until softened.
Lower heat to medium, add garlic, ginger and curry leaves. Cook for 1 minute until garlic starts to turn golden and smells amazing.
Add tomatoes and cumin, cook until tomatoes start to break down and thicken to a paste - about 2 minutes.
Add lentils, water, tumeric and salt. Stir, bring to simmer, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. Stir two or three times during the hour.
Remove lid and simmer gently for 30 minutes to thicken, stirring every now and then. The dal is ready when it has a consistency like porridge - some lentils should be intact but some have broken down to thicken the sauce.
Stir through garam masala at the end. Adjust salt if desired.
Pour over Tadka, if using, and stir through.
Serve Dal over rice, garnished with a sprig of coriander if desired.