One Pot Gujarati Dal with Pot in Pot Rice

This Instant Pot khatti-meethi Gujarati Dal with Pot in Pot rice is the comfort you are craving for and is ready in under 30 minutes. You get that perfect sweet-tangy, home-style bowl in one go and the real magic is in a couple of secret magic touches that makes this dal taste completely different from every other Gujarati dal you've tried.

Growing up in Mumbai, Gujarati friends, food and their dal is inevitable. At friends' homes, in tiffins, at thali restaurants. Over time, and especially after marrying into a Gujarati family, I started making my own and picked up a few secret tricks from my MIL and even my sister's MIL that now make my khatti-meethi dal truly stand out.

I am also showing you how to cook rice together in the pot while the dal is cooking, so it's one less thing to do outside of the pressure cooker.

Ingredient Notes

This is just a note on some of the ingredients. The detailed list of ingredients and quantities are in the recipe card.

• Lentils - This is made using toor dal. Unlike the north Indian dals, like Dal Tadka and Arhar Dal, this dal is not supposed to be thicker, instead it's supposed be to thinner and runny.
• Sweet and Tangy Taste - Jaggery is best for sweetness but you can also use sugar if you don't have jaggery on hand. To bring out the tangy flavors I use a combination of tamarind pulp water and kokum, however you can also use fresh lemon juice.
• Textures and Add-Ins - Peanuts are common a common addition, but you can also add cashews for richness. Sometimes, I even make this dal, nut-free. Tomatoes are essential for the body of the dal.
• Tempering and Spices - You will need staples like asafoetida, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilies or paste, cloves, cinnamon sticks, whole red chilies, kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, salt, ginger.
• Secret Ingredient - Adding Koro Sambar (methi rai kuriya/ powdered masala) to the tempering is my MIL's "secret" sprinkle at the end that gives Gujarati pickle-style depth. If you don't have it handy, I have the recipe for that listed in the recipe card.
• Trivet & steel container - If you want to make pot in pot rice to save time, then you will also need a trivet to place your steel container that has rice.

How to make Gujarati Dal in Instant Pot

• Cooking Dal : While you gather the ingredients together, wash and soak the dal. Using the saute mode, heat the inner pot and add the toor dal, peanuts and or cashews, salt, turmeric, ginger, kokam & water to the pressure cooker followed by water. Give it all a stir.
• Pot in Pot Rice : This step is optional. While the dal will cook in the main pot, I often place a heat safe smaller pot with rice, water & ghee on a trivet. Cover it with a steel lid or aluminum foil.
• Pressure Cook : Close the lid and pressure cook for 6 minutes followed by a quick release after 5 minutes.
• Prepare Temping : While the Dal are Rice are pressure cooking, in a deep bottom pan, heat ghee and add asafoetida, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, red whole chilies, green chilies or paste (optional), cloves, cinnamon sticks and cook until aromatic. Next add jaggery and allow the jaggery to caramalize, another way to make the flavors stand out. Then add the secret ingredient, koro sambar (recipe in recipe card) Then add the ginger and tomatoes and allow the tomatoes to soften for a couple mins. Lastly add kashmiri red chili powder & stir it.
• Tempering the Dal : Open the lid of the pot and using a pair of tongs, remove the rice container and place it aside. Using a whisk, whisk the dal. You will notice a thick consistency. Add some water (to your preferred consistency) and tamarind pulp water (if using) to make it runny and bring it to boil. Then add the tempering and simmer for another minute or two.
• Garnish : Garnish with chopped cilantro and some fresh lemon juice if you skipped tamarind pulp water. Enjoy the piping hot dal.

Storage

You can store this dal in an air tight container in the refrigerator for upto 3-4 days, atleast here in the US. The will thickens when not consumed immediately, so please remember to water it down and adjust the flavors before consuming the next day or so.

How to serve

My favorite way to enjoy this dal is with rice. Dal Bhaat is so comforting that I don't need anything else.

However you can pair it with Roti or Puri, Aloo Gobi, Achar, Papad a super yum combo!

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a flavorful yet comforting meal that comes together in under 30 minutes, you need to try this recipe. I promise, you won't regret it. It's so yum!

Related

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Gujarati Dal with Pot in Pot Rice

Author: Anvita

This Instant Pot khatti-meethi Gujarati Dal with Pot in Pot rice is the comfort you are craving for and is ready in under 30 minutes. You get that perfect sweet-tangy, home-style bowl in one go and the real magic is in a couple of secret magic touches that makes this dal taste completely different from every other Gujarati dal you've tried.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: gujarati dal, gujarati dal recipe, gujrati dal, gujrati dal recipe, khatti meethi gujrati dal

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes

5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 21 minutes minutes

Servings:

4 servings

Calories:

956kcal

Ingredients

For Dal

• 1 cup toor dal washed and soak while gathering other ingredients
• ¼ cup raw peanuts
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 pieces kokam optional
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ginger grated
• 3 cups water

Koro Sambar

• 2.5 tablespoon fenugreek seeds (methi na kuria)
• 1 cup split mustard seeds (rai na kuria) not the same as black mustard
• ¼ cup oil
• ½ cup red chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon asafoetida
• ¼ cup salt

Tempering

• 3 tablespoon ghee
• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 6 curry leaves
• 6 cloves
• 2 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole dried red chilies round or long
• 2 tablespoon soaked tamarind pulp water
• 2 tablespoon jaggery or sugar
• ½ teaspoon green chili paste optional
• 2 tomatoes chopped

Pot in Pot Rice

• 2 cups rice
• 3 cups water

Garnish

• 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped

Instructions

• Making Koro Sambar : Heat oil in a pan for a couple minutes and keep aside to cool. In a dry grinder, add fenugreek seeds and grind into a coarse mixture. Then add split mustard seeds into the dry grinder and coarse grind it. To a bowl, add the ground fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, red chili powder, turmeric, asafoetida, salt and oil. Mix it all and store in an air tight container.
• Cooking Dal : While you gather the ingredients together, wash and soak the dal. Using the saute mode, heat the inner pot and add the toor dal, peanuts and or cashews, salt, turmeric, ginger, kokam & 2 cups water to the pressure cooker followed by water. Give it all a stir.
• Pot in Pot Rice : This step is optional. While the dal will cook in the main pot, I often place a heat safe smaller pot with rice, water & ghee on a trivet. Cover it with a steel lid or aluminum foil.
• Pressure Cook : Close the lid and pressure cook for 6 minutes followed by a quick release after 5 minutes.
• Prepare Temping : While the Dal are Rice are pressure cooking, in a deep bottom pan, heat ghee and add asafoetida, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, red whole chilies, green chilies or paste (optional), cloves, cinnamon sticks and cook until aromatic. Next add jaggery and allow the jaggery to caramalize, another way to make the flavors stand out. Then add the secret ingredient, koro sambar (recipe in recipe card) Then add the ginger and tomatoes and allow the tomatoes to soften for a couple mins. Lastly add kashmiri red chili powder & stir it.
• Tempering the Dal : Open the lid of the pot and using a pair of tongs, remove the rice container and place it aside. Using a whisk, whisk the dal. You will notice a thick consistency. Add some water, a cup or more (to your preferred consistency) and tamarind pulp water (if using) to make it runny and bring it to boil. Then add the tempering and simmer for another minute or two. Adjust the salt, sweetness and tanginess.
• Garnish : Garnish with chopped cilantro and some fresh lemon juice if you skipped tamarind pulp water. Enjoy the piping hot dal.

Video

Notes

• Wash the dal thoroughly to make sure there is no foaming from impurities.
• Whisk or blend (remove kokum and peanuts if blending) for smooth texture.
• Do not skip the koro sambar (recipe in recipe card)
• Make sure to caramelize the jaggery when tempering before you add tomatoes

Nutrition

Serving: 4servings | Calories: 956kcal | Carbohydrates: 138g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 8213mg | Potassium: 1188mg | Fiber: 24g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 9691IU | Vitamin C: 89mg | Calcium: 247mg | Iron: 12mg