This recipe is for the most staple and popular Indian dish that is eaten on a daily basis. I like to keep it simple with no added vegetables. I find that adding any carrots or celery would alter the flavor of the lentils. It is such a basic essential dish with lots of nutrition that it is usually one of the early dishes we introduce to our kids when they start solids.
We like the consistency a bit thicker than soup because it is meant to be poured over your rice to mix and eat. Usually we eat it with some type of curry and stir fry vegetables. You can also eat it with roti or flat bread like naan. Raiden likes to eat his dal with a dollop of brown butter over warm rice.
Ingredients
1/2 cup of red lentils (Masoor dal)
1/2 Onion (diced)
2 slice of ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric
1.5 cup of water
1 tsp of salt
1 tbsp butter
Directions
1. Wash lentils until water no longer cloudy then drain all the water.
2. Over medium heat add some vegetable oil into pressure cooker. (for instant pot, switch to sauté mode and follow steps below)
3. Sate dice onions and ginger until onion starting to brown.
4. Add lentils and turmeric into the pressure cooker and sate them with onion and ginger until they are dry and starting to roast.
5. You should be able to see some browning on some lentils (not all) then add water and close the lid. (Instant pot: Pressure Cook mode at high pressure for 13 minutes)
6. Once pressure cooker reach the pressure limit turn off the heat and let it sit for 10-12 minutes (Instant pot: Let it sit in there for 10 more minutes)
7. After 10-12 minutes release all the pressure and open the lid. Add salt and butter then use a whisk and whisk the dal until smooth. (Instant pot: After 10 minutes manually release all the pressure, add salt and butter and whisk the dal until smooth)
