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5 from 27 votes

Veggie Lentil Dhansak Instant Pot

Lentil Veggie Dhansak. Dal and vegetables cooked with spices. Parsi dhansak Recipe. Cook in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker or Saucepan. Serve over rice or flatbread or garlic bread. Vegan Gluten-free Indian Recipe
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Gluten-free, Indian, Vegan
Servings: 2
Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

Dal and Veggies:

  • 3/4 cup total split dals combination of red lentils(masoor dal and yellow lentils(mung dal) or toor and moong dal)
  • 2 cups chopped vegetables (heaped) such as cauliflower, eggplant, zuchhini, opo squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, broccoli etc)
  • 1 cup packed chopped greens such as spinach, fresh fenugreek leaves, mustard leaves, chard or amaranth
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 4 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 hot green chile minced
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp dhana jeera powder* or 1/2 tsp garam masala + 1/2 tsp coriander powder + a good pinch of ground cloves

Tempering:

  • 1 tsp oil
  • 3/4 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion (heaped)
  • 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala or more as needed
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Soak the dals for 15 mins to half hour. Drain and combine in a pressure cooker/Instant pot with the vegetables, and the rest of the ingredients under Dals and Veggies(ginger, garlic, spices)and 2.5 to 3 cups water. Cook for 3 minutes on manual (high pressure). Let the pressure release naturally.
  • Meanwhile, make the tempering. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add mustard and cumin seeds and let them start to pop. Add onion and garlic and cook until golden, stirring occasionally. (a heavy bottom pan, a good pinch of salt and stirring at regular intervals gives an even golden onion). Add garam masala and mix in .
  • Once the pressure has released, open the lid. At this point you can mash the veggies and lentils for a more traditional version..
  • Mix in half the tempering into the lentil vegetable mixture in the Instant Pot. Taste and adjust salt and heat(cayenne). Add more salt and garam masala if needed. Garnish with the remaining half tempering, cilantro and lemon juice and serve.
  • Serve with rice, flatbread, toasted bread or garlic bread, garlic naan and kachumbar salad (cucumber tomato onion salad).

Notes

*Dhana Jeera powder: Add 1 heaping tbsp coriander seeds, 1.5 tsp cumin seeds to a skillet over low heat. Slow roast for 6 to 8 minutes until they start to get fragrant. Cool and blend to a powder. Mix in a good dash of cinnamon, clove and black pepper and mix in. Use this mixture to garnish dals just before serving.
Saucepan: Combine all the ingredients for the dal and veggies in a saucepan. Partially cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until the lentils and veggies are tender to preference. Proceed to make the tempering.
Nutritional values based on one serving

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 706mg | Potassium: 941mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1405IU | Vitamin C: 63.4mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 5.1mg