Happy New Year guys! How did you celebrate New Year’s? We just stayed in and had a pizza pajama party. Did you keep any New Year’s resolution? I didn’t keep any, but healthy and clean eating and a wholesome diet are what I want to continue focussing on this year as well. We are what we eat after all! Getting back to the post, for now, I’m happy to share this instant pot lentil curry | lentil and coconut curry. This creamy coconut lentil curry is warming, comforting and a delicious curry that pairs well with rice or even a flatbread like naan, roti, or chapati.
I make lentil curry dal every other day in the week, 3-4 times to be specific. Why? Because it is nutritious, quick, plus tasty! Seriously what more do you need for a good meal? Making dal is a regular affair in most Indian homes. A regular Indian thali will comprise of some rice, dal, veggie, roti, salad, yogurt, papad, and pickle and some dessert sometimes. It is such a soulful and satisfying platter and one that I could eat everyday, since the varieties are endless. Ever since I got my Instant Pot, I’ve been trying and testing so many recipes, and I will share them one by one in the coming weeks. Today, let’s talk about this electric pressure cooker lentil curry. Brown lentils are known as sabut masoor dal in India, so this specific curry is known as sabut masoor ki dal. This dal preparation is more popular in North India. This recipe is not an authentic version of the North Indian dal curry, as coconut is not used in that version. In fact, not all curry recipes in India use coconut milk or curry powder. There is no spice mix like curry powder in India. But it is a good substitute for individual spices, especially if you do not cook a lot of Indian food, it definitely is a great spice blend to have in your pantry nonetheless.
COCONUT LENTIL CURRY INGREDIENTS
Besides lentils and coconut milk, you will need onions, tomatoes, spices like cumin seeds, ground turmeric, paprika, coriander, and garam masala along with some ginger-garlic paste. That’s about it. You can add some cayenne pepper for a spicy curry. You can totally skip these spices if you don’t have them at hand, simply use some curry powder to taste instead. Though, I highly recommend not skipping on the garam masala, a little adds a punch of flavor and aroma to this brown lentil curry.
SOAKING LENTILS: TO SOAK OR NOT TO SOAK?
Most recipes will tell you that lentils do not need to be soaked. But I prefer to soak lentils before I cook them. Soaking lentils reduces the antinutrient phytic acid, it also neutralizes the enzyme inhibitors which otherwise makes digestion of proteins difficult. So basically, soaking lentils makes it easier for our body to digest them and also helps in better absorption of nutrients. It also cuts down the cooking time, especially if you cook lentils on the stovetop in a regular pot. You can read more about it here. I can’t vouch for the facts, but it’s a personal preference to soak lentils for at least 10-15 minutes, as I’ve always seen my Mom do it too. Beans definitely need to be soaked overnight, no second thoughts there.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT LENTIL CURRY | HOW TO COOK LENTIL CURRY IN THE INSTANT POT?
To make this instant pot lentil curry, you will start by soaking brown lentils for about 15 minutes. While the lentils are soaking, you can chop the onions and tomatoes, and also start by preparing the flavor base of the curry. Sauté cumin seeds, onions, ginger garlic paste, and tomatoes, until you have this thick masala paste. Add in your spices, and mix everything well. Drain the lentils, and dump it in the instant pot. Add water, and let the instant pot do its thing. Finish the curry off with some coconut milk, lemon juice, and freshly chopped cilantro or parsley. This is a pretty authentic lentil curry, Indian style sans the coconut milk or coconut oil. But I’ve added coconut milk, as I personally love coconut based curries as it lends a wonderful, creamy, and nutty rounded taste. The spiced onion-tomato mixture is the heart of this recipe as is with most North Indian curries. The creaminess of the curry comes from the lentils itself. As the lentils cook, they soften creating a thick, creamy consistency. If you like your lentils to be al dente, reduce the cook time. Enjoy this as a curry with rice or flatbread or simply as a lentil curry soup, it is good on its own too! So let’s learn how to make this delicious, warming lentil coconut curry recipe.
LOOKING FOR MORE EASY LENTIL RECIPES LIKE THIS EASY INSTANT POT LENTIL CURRY RECIPE, THEN YOU MAY LIKE THESE
Lentil Sambar recipe (South Indian lentil and vegetable stew) Dal Palak (Yellow lentil and spinach curry)
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE INSTANT POT LENTIL CURRY | BROWN LENTIL CURRY | SABUT MASOOR DAL RECIPE
1.Discard any stones, grit, debris from the lentils, rinse them under running water, soak the lentils with about 2 cups of water for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile start prepping up with chopping the onions, tomatoes etc.
2.Press the saute button (normal heat setting), once it displays ‘hot’ add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds, let them crackle.
3.Next, add the chopped onions, sauté until it turns golden brown.
4.Add ginger garlic paste, sauté until fragrant.
5.Add the chopped tomatoes, cook stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have turned mushy, cooked well, and have reduced down creating a thick mixture.
6.Add all the dry spices along with salt, mix well and cook for another 30 seconds.
7.Add the drained lentils (discard the water it was soaked in), mix it well with the onion-tomato-spice mixture.
8.Add the water or stock, mix well.
9.Press cancel, close the lid of the Instant Pot with the valve on sealing position. Press the manual or pressure cook button and pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up, about 10 minutes after which the timer will start.
10.Let it depressurize naturally (takes about 15 minutes). Once the float valve (silver pin) drops, open the lid, and give it a quick mix.
11.Select cancel, and press the saute button again. Add the coconut milk and mix well, let the curry simmer for two more minutes. Check for seasoning and adjust with more salt if required. Finish it off with a squeeze of lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon more of garam masala (optional) and freshly chopped cilantro/parsley. Serve this instant pot lentil curry with rice or any flatbread of your choice.
NOTES
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT LENTIL CURRY | BROWN LENTIL CURRY | SABUT MASOOR DAL RECIPE?
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Did you enjoy this easy vegan lentil curry recipe? I would love to hear from you if you do try it! Please feel free to share your feedback with photos and suggestions to me at [email protected] You can also follow me on : Facebook @ Aromaticessence Pinterest @ Aromatic Essence Instagram @ aromatic_essence77 Twitter @ freda_dias Regards, Freda
