Name: Instant Pot Toor Dal with Pot in Pot Rice
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup toor / arhar dal (washed and soaked); 1 medium onion (diced); 2 tomatoes (diced); 1 tbsp ginger garlic green chili paste (or finely chopped); 1 tsp turmeric powder; 2 tbsp tamarind pulp (or lemon ju1ce or dry amchur powder); 2.5 cups water; 1 tsp salt to taste; 2 tbsp ghee; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 2 whole dry red chilies; 1/2 tsp asafoetida; 1 tbsp ginger garlic green chili paste (or finely chopped); 1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder; 1 medium sliced onion (add 2 more tbsp ghee for this and add onion after cumin seeds); 2 cups basmati rice (washed until water runs clear); 3 cups water

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Want dal and rice ready in just 20 minutes? I'll show you my easy Instant Pot trick for tasty, tangy khatti toor / arhar dal with soft rice, all at once. Both cook together, quick and mess-free, using pot in pot. Saves time and cuts cleanup. Plus sharing tips and tricks to make the best dal and avoid common mistakes.

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This is the dal I grew up eating. This tangy dal was our family favorite because my dad knew how to make it extra special with his secret finishing tadka. Now even my Gujarati husband loves it more than the Gujrati dal!

We often paired it with Kachumber, Parwal Aloo, Tindora or Kurkuri Bhindi & ofcourse rice.

I now make this dal using the same recipe that was made at home, except that I cook it in my Instant Pot, and I also cook rice along with it at the same time. Followed by my dads special tadka ofcourse.

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Ingredient Notes
How to make Instant Pot Toor Dal with Pot in Pot Rice
Top Tip
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Related
Instant Pot Toor Dal with Pot in Pot Rice

Ingredient Notes

See recipe card for all ingredients & quantities. This is just a gist of some notes I what to share with you about specific ingredients

Toor / Arhar Dal : It has happened to me in the past where my toor dal just did not soften even after soaking and pressure cooking. it was probably a really old batch of dal, so make sure you use fresh toor dal or a relatively newer batch.
Water : Typically this dal is on the thicker side, however my FIL likes it soupy as he is used to the Gujrati Dal, so adjust the water to your preferred dal thickness. Also if you make this ahead of time, the dal will thicken so you will have to water it down and bring t to a boil.
Tanginess : I am using Imli / Tamarind, but feel free to use lemon juice or Khattai / Dry Amchur Powder. If using lemon juice, add it while garnishing and not while cooking. don't skip the tomatoes, they add a depth of flavor.

How to make Instant Pot Toor Dal with Pot in Pot Rice

Here is just a gist of the steps, the detailed recipe is in the recipe card.

Prepare the Dal: Wash and soak 1 cup of toor dal for 15-30 minutes. Drain excess water (or use unsoaked, but add an extra minute to cooking time if unsoaked).
Add Ingredients to the IP: In the inner pot of the Instant Pot, add the soaked (or unsoaked) dal, chopped onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic & green chilies paste, salt, turmeric, tamarind pulp & water.
Place the Rice in a Pot-in-Pot Container: In a separate heatproof glass or steel bowl or small pot, add rinsed basmati rice and water. Cover this with either aluminum foil or steel plate. Place this bowl on the trivet inside the Instant Pot.
Pressure Cook: Close the lid, set the vent to sealing, and pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. After cooking, let the pressure release naturally for about 5 minutes, then do a quick release if needed. Whisk gently.
Prepare the Tadka (Tempering): In a small pan, heat ghee over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle, then add asafoetida, dry red chilies, ginger garlic green chili paste, and cook for a minute. Add Kashmiri chili powder, sauté briefly, then pour this tadka over the cooked dal. For onion tadka, add the sliced onions to the ghee before the dry red chillies and fry them and add the remaining ingredients to the tadka.
Garnish & Serve: Stir the dal well, garnish with cilantro if desired, fork the rice & serve hot with rice.

Top Tip

Share something here that you think is key to making this recipe well, such as: Don't overcook the burgers! Sear the outside and cook to a minimum internal temperature, but they should still be juicy for best results.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

I have personally dealt with these mistakes in the past and I am sharing how you can avoid these mistakes or fix them, if it happens to you.

Common Mistake	How to Avoid	Fix if Happens
Dal is still hard or undercooked	Soak dal for 15-30 minutes before cooking. Use correct pressure cooking time	Add more water and cook for additional 5-7 mins under pressure. Use natural pressure release for softness.
Dal foaming and frothing over	Rinse dal 2-3 times before use. Add a tablespoon of oil to reduce froth.	Stop cooking, let pressure release, skim foam, then resume cooking.
Burn or stuck on bottom error	Always deglaze the pot after sautéing. Avoid thick sauces before pressure cooking.	Add ¼ cup water, scrape stuck bits gently, and restart cooking.
Over-thick or dry dal	Use proper water to dal ratio (generally 3-4 cups water to 1 cup dal).	Add hot water gradually and stir to adjust consistency.
Bland dal from too much water	Measure water accurately. Consider absorbed water by ingredients.	Simmer dal with tadka on sauté mode to reduce and concentrate flavors.
Not sealing properly	Ensure sealing ring is in place and vent is set to Sealing.	Stop, fix sealing ring and vent, then restart pressure cooking.

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