Instant Pot Yellow Split Peas with Tomatoes (Tarka Dal)
Tarka Dal, if you understand the meaning, might sound like an oxymoron. Tarka, or the process of tempering with spices at the end of cooking, is what makes Indian lentils the magical soft pools of goodness that we all love. The process of making dal is incomplete without the tarka, so listing it in the name almost sounds redundant. But the Tarka Dal for the Punjabi table actually reverses this process, instead of finishing with the tarka we start with it, making this dish perfect for fix-and-forget cooking. On a busy evening, you can whip up this amazing pot of goodness, serve it with homemade or store-bought parathas, and you are in business. - Rinku Bhattacharya
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 72kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil Kathy says you can use water to saute instead
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3/4 cup yellow split lentils (moong dal)
- 3 med tomatoes coarsely chopped
- 1/2 tesapoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin coriander powder mix
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Crushed red pepper flakes to garnish
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot® on Sauté mode and heat the oil for 1 minute. Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, ginger, and garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the lentils and sauté lightly.
- Stir in 3 cups of water, the tomatoes, turmeric, cumin coriander powder, cayenne pepper powder, and salt.
- Press Cancel to turn off the Sauté mode. Close the lid and set the Instant Pot® on Manual Pressure for 5 minutes. When the cooking time is complete, allow for Natural Pressure Release for about 5 minutes.
- Once the pressure is released, open the pot and stir in the lime juice. Garnish with cilantro and crushed red pepper flakes to serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 72kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 418mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g