I am sharing how to make a Punjabi-style dal fry recipe using the Instant Pot, pressure cooker, and in a regular pot on the stovetop. Dal fry is my go-to recipe when we crave comfort food. I love making it in the Instant Pot now, pot in a pot with rice as it gives me a complete meal in less than 45 mins.
It’s not only convenient but also a healthy, nutritious, and soul-satisfying meal that the entire family enjoys!!
What is Dal Fry?
Dal or Dahl in Hindi is a generic term used for lentils or a curry made with lentils. Lentils are considered a great source of proteins for vegetarians and hence a staple. Dal fry is a popular lentil recipe made from soft-cooked dal (lentils) which is then sautéed in a masala made of onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and spices in ghee or oil. Typically the saute process in India is called fry and hence the name Dal fry although there is no real frying or deep frying involved. Arhar dal, toor dal, or tuvar dal also known as split pigeon peas in English is mainly used to prepare dal fry but many restaurants and Dhaba (roadside eateries) use a combination of toor with pink masoor daal or yellow moong dal for more texture and flavor. Traditionally the dal is cooked in a presser cooker until soft before mixing with the onion-tomato masala but nowadays I use the Instant Pot to make it a one-pot meal. Dal fry is popular not only in roadside dhabas and high-end restaurants but also a household staple as it makes a quick and easy nutritious meal. This flavorful, delicious dal pairs well with rice, paratha, and roti. We love it with jeera rice, and a side of achar, papad, and/or salad. Makes the perfect comfort food. Every family has its own recipe for dal fry, where the combination of dal and spices can vary but the process remains the same. This recipe is very adaptable. You can make this dal using lentils of choice or a combination of two or more. Today I am sharing my version of the restaurant-style Punjabi Dal fry recipe with toor dal and how to make it using the traditional pressure cooker and also the one-pot Instant Pot method with pot in pot rice. For those who don’t own a pressure cooker, I have also shared how you can make it in a regular pot too.
Recipe Ingredients
Dal or lentils - I usually make dal fry using Toor dal which is also known as tuvar dal or arhar dal in Hindi and yellow split pigeon peas in English. Along with toor dal, you can also make dal fry with yellow moong dal, masoor dal (red split lentils), chana dal, or a combination of these. Ghee/Oil - I highly recommend making this dal in ghee as it elevates the flavor and gives the dal an amazing taste. Use oil if you want to keep it vegan. Whole spices - Just the basic spices like mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and dried whole red chilies. You can skip mustard seeds if you don’t have them. Ginger Garlic - Use freshly grated or minced ginger garlic for this recipe. Don’t skip these as they add tons of flavor to the recipe Veggies - onion and tomatoes are the main veggies used for making dal fry. You can also add other veggies like carrots, bottle gourd to increase the nutritional value. Spice powders - you need just the basic ones used regularly in Indian cooking like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. You just need a little of these to flavor the dal. Chilies - I have used three different types of chilies for this recipe. Dried red chili, red chili powder, and green chili. They provide slight heat and their own flavor to the recipe. You can adjust the quantity based on your spice preference. Herbs - I’ve used three types of herbs for this recipe, curry leaves they provide fresh flavor to the dal, dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri methi) often used in Punjabi recipe for their unique flavor and taste, and last but not least cilantro for garnish. You can skip curry leaves if they are not available. Lemon juice - I like my dal fry slightly tangy so I add some lemon juice too. It helps balance all flavors and bring the dish together. You can use amchur powder instead or skip if you don’t like it tangy. Please refer to the recipe card for exact measurements of ingredients.
How To Make Punjabi Dal Fry (Stepwise Photos)
Cook the dal (lentils)
1 - Rinse dal 3-4 times until the water runs clear. 2 - Transfer the rinsed dal to an Instant Pot stainless steel insert, or stovetop pressure cooker with 3 cups of water, 1 teaspoon salt. Close the lid. In Instant Pot, cook with vent sealing on manual (pressure cook) high for 10 mins followed by natural pressure release. For the stovetop pressure cooker, cook on medium heat for 4-5 whistles. Let steam release naturally. You can also cook dal in a pot on the stovetop until the dal is soft and mushy just that it will take a longer time. 3 - When the pressure comes down (pin drops) open the lid 4 - Using a whisk, mash the dal for a smooth texture. While the dal is cooking you can make the dal fry masala.
Make the onion tomato masala
5 - Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. 6 - Then add the cumin seeds, asafoetida (thing), dried red chili, and curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds. 7 and 8 - Stir in the onions, ½ teaspoon salt, and mix well. Cook till the onions are soft and golden brown in color. 9 - Add ginger garlic and green chili. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the raw garlic smell goes away. If needed deglaze with 1-2 tablespoons water to prevent the masala from burning. 10 - Stir in the turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and saute for a few seconds. 11- Add the chopped tomatoes, mix well, cover, and cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy (approximately 5 mins). 12 - Mix and mash tomatoes until oil oozes from the side of the masala.
Make dal fry
13 - Stir in the cooked dal in the pan along with ½ teaspoon salt. Mix until well combined. 14 - Adjust the dal consistency to your liking by adding ½ to 1 cup water. 15 - Bring dal to a simmer. Crush Kasuri Methi between your palms and add it to the dal. Simmer for another 5-6 mins on low-medium heat. 16 - Finally add some chopped cilantro and lemon juice. Mix well. Turn off the heat. Dal fry is ready to be served!!
Instant Pot Dal Fry
Love the convenience of making dal fry in the instant pot along with pot in pot jeera rice for a one-pot meal!! I have shared the detailed instructions in the recipe card but here is a quick summary. The dal fry recipe is the same but instead of cooking the lentils separately first, we will cook it along with the tempering or masala. Start the Instant Pot on saute mode and make the tempering and onion tomato masala (steps 5-12 above). Then add the rinsed dal, 3 cups of water, and salt to the Instant Pot. For pot in pot rice, place the trivet and the rice container on the trivet. Close the lid and cook on manual high for 10 mins followed by natural release. Once the pin drops, open the lid, remove the rice container and keep it aside. Start Instant pot back on saute mode, mash the dal to your liking. Add Kasuri methi, lemon juice, and cilantro and mix well. Instant Pot dal fry is ready!
Serving Suggestions
Serve dal fry hot topped with ghee. It pairs well with roti, naan, or rice. Personally, I love day fry with jeera rice along with a side of lemon pickle, papad, sirke wala pyaaz (pickled onions), or kachumber(salad). Simple easy and so satisfying!! Crispy bhindi, potato stir fry, air fryer broccoli, or batata kaap (kachari) are some other favorite sides to serve with dal fry.
Recipe Tips
Dal quality - Use good quality, freshly stocked lentils since age-old lentils will take more time and water to cook. Type of dal (lentils) - Typically dal fry is made from toor dal but you can also use split masoor dal or yellow moong dal, chana dal, or a combination to make dal fry. Each dal has its own flavor and texture so depending on the lentils used, the dal fry taste will change. Also, cooking times vary slightly. Soaking dal is not required for this recipe. But to speed the process, soak for 30mins and pressure cook just for 6 mins. Dal fry tastes best when cooked in ghee but to keep it vegan replace ghee with canola oil or oil of choice. Adjust spices to your preference by adding more red chili powder or green chilies or reducing it to make it less spicy. Dal consistency - Adjust the consistency of dal by adding water a little at a time. Too much water will dilute the taste so add as required. Also, this dal thickens over time so adjust the consistency with water and taste for seasoning. Smoky flavor Dal - For that restaurant-style taste, smoke the dal using the dungar method. I usually skip this step as we prefer the dal just like so. For gluten-free dal, skip hing (asafoetida).
More Dal (Lentil) Recipes
Hope you enjoy this Dal Fry Recipe !! If you give this recipe a try, please rate by clicking stars ⭐️ on the recipe card. Thank you ❤️! You can also follow me on Facebook | Instagram to see what’s cooking in my kitchen!!
Recipe Card
Update Notes: This post was originally published on Sep 1, 2012, but was republished with, step by step instructions, new photos, tips, and a video in Dec of 2021.
