Chana Dal in Instant Pot: No-soak Split Chickpea Lentil Curry

Chana dal is a warm and comforting lentil curry that is super quick and easy to make in an instant pot. It just takes 5 minutes of active cooking. Pressure cookers or instant pots cook the chana dal to creamy perfection in a matter of minutes.

This instant pot chana dal recipe yields a soulful bowl of creamy, aromatic, spicy, and earthy curry. It makes a great vegetarian (or vegan) dinner or lunch meal. This chana dal recipe is closer to how it is made in north India and Pakistan. South Indian version would use mustard seeds and curry leaves, instead of cumin and fennel seeds.

Introduction to the chana dal recipe

Dals are basic Indian recipes. Check out these popular dal recipes on the blog, dal makhani, masala urad dal, spinach dal, etc.

What is chana dal?

For my non-Indian readers let me try to familiarize you with Chana Dal. Chana is an Indian term for chickpeas. And dal is a generic term used for split pulses (edible seeds of legumes).

 There are two basic types of chickpeas found in India. Bengal gram (Kala Chana) and garbanzo beans (white chole). The Chana dal is made by spitting and polishing the Bengal gram or Kala chana. Chana dal is now the part of Oxford English dictionary. So technically it is no longer an Indian name.

This Chana Dal recipe is a North Indian style lentil curry made using Split Bengal Gram (also known as split chickpea or yellow gram) as the main ingredient. It is a staple in North Indian households. Chana Dal (like most lentils) is a highly nutritious and great source of proteins in a vegetarian diet.

Is chana dal the same as yellow lentils?

Many people refer to chana dal as yellow lentil, which is inaccurate. Yellow lentil is the split and polished moong bean. Way smaller than chana dal to be confused with it.

What is the difference between split peas and split chickpeas?

Now, these two do look very similar. Split pea is the dried yellow pea that is hulled and split. It is called matar dal (pea lentil). And as discussed above the split chickpea is our chana dal. They both have very similar-looking grains. Same color and size. It is very difficult to tell them apart. However, if you look closely the split pea has a smooth semicircular top, whereas split chickpeas (chana dal) have an uneven wrinkled top.

 Why does this instant pot chana dal recipe work?

• It is quick. Instant cooks the food fast. They are ideal for cooking dried grains and legumes. Chana dal is no exception. Also, I have used tomato paste instead of chopped tomatoes which take longer to sweat and cook. It just takes 5 minutes of active cooking
  
• Easy to make. Just dump ingredients into the instant pot and you should be good to go.
  
• One-pot recipe. And that happens to be your instant pot. Read the section on pressure cooker chana dal, if not using an instant pot.
  
• Versatile recipe. This instant pot dal recipe can be used to make dal palak or lauki chana dal. ( read the recipe notes)
  
• No soak recipe. This recipe calls for no soaking of the chana dal. If you happen to soak, adjust the water and timing as per the recipe notes.
  
• This recipe is gluten free. If you are looking for a healthy, comforting, and gluten-free curry recipe, look no further.
  
• It uses very basic ingredients. And I do provide for all sorts of possible substitutions in the ingredients section.
  
• Replace ghee with vegetable oil of your choice and you can make vegan chana dal.
  
  

Ingredient for making the instant pot chana dal

Chana dal

So as discussed above, Chana dal is the split and polished chickpeas. This dried lentil makes an excellent creamy curry. To make into that we need to wash and soak it. But what if do not have time to soak the lentil. Worry not, just follow the recipe and you will be there.

Red Onion

I am used half of a large red onion. If you have a medium-sized onion, use the whole onion. The key is to chop it very finely. The onion will sweat and melt into the gravy on cooking. It gives flavor and body to the gravy of the dal.

Red onion or shallots works best for Indian curry recipes and this chana dal recipe is no exception. But if you cannot find them in your grocery store, go for yellow onions.

Ginger and garlic

Ginger and garlic are the base flavoring for our instant pot chana dal recipe. You can use homemade or store-bought ginger garlic paste or use fresh ginger and garlic as I have used in the recipe.

Tomato Paste

Please do not replace tomato paste with tomato puree. If you are going to use tomato puree or canned diced tomatoes, you will need to increase the amount. Tomato paste is denser and more concentrated. Two tablespoons give enough richness to your curry. To replace it you can use:

• 3 Ripe medium-sized tomatoes (diced)
  
• 1 cup of canned diced tomato
  
• 1 cup tomato puree
  

Ghee or cooking oil

Ghee is best for the flavor. But if you want to cut on those saturated fats or want to make this recipe vegan, stick to some vegetable oil. I like to use avocado oil or canola oil.

Whole spices

• Whole red chili. You can skip it or replace it with 2 green chilies or serrano peppers.

• Cumin seeds. Cumin seeds are a must in the chana dal recipe. If you do not have it, just omit it and replace it with cumin powder. Add cumin powder with the chopped cilantro on opening the instant pot when chana dal is ready. If you do not have any of this, replace one teaspoon cumin seeds with black mustard seeds.

• Fennel seeds. Fennel seeds distinguish chana dal curry from other dal curries. The sweet aroma of fennel seeds dominates the earthiness of cumin. But it is optional.

• Greater cardamom powder. They are also called black cardamom. I like to grind them whole and store them in an airtight container. If you have whole, just deseed two and crush their seeds in a pestle and mortar.

• Garam masala is a mix of spices that is very generic in Indian dishes. You can use the store-bought or homemade mix of dry spices here.

• Kasuri methi. These dry fenugreek leaves will not only give our instant pot chana dal a good aroma but also helps with digestion.
  
• Salt and chili powder. Adjust them according to your taste and preferences.
  

Garnishes

• Chopped cilantro. It is the key garnish used in chana dal recipes. Sort, wash and finely chop cilantro leaves for adding to the chana dal after opening the instant pot.
  
• Ghee. Add a teaspoon of ghee or butter on top to make it more appetizing and aromatic.
  
• Lime. Squeeze lime juice before serving the chana dal made in the instant pot or pressure cook.
  

 

Equipment’s Required for making chana dal curry in instant pot

Instant pot

I have made this chana dal recipe in 6 qt Instant pot duo Nova. If you have a larger or smaller instant pot, the exact timings might vary by a minute or two. For making this recipe in 3 Qt, add 2 minutes to the cooking time. And reduce the pressure cook time by 1 minute if using an 8 qt instant pot.

How to make chana dal in an instant pot?

Step 1 Prepping the ingredients

Start by measuring the chana dal, wash it, and set it aside. You also let it soak in water while you prep other ingredients.

Chop the onion finely, mince garlic, and grated ginger. Pull out all the spices and keep them at a hand's distance. While preparing tadka, you have to be quick with adding the dry spices. They are sheer powders and burn very quickly. Also, keep a glass of water close by.

Step 2 Prepare masala for chana dal in an instant pot

Set the instant pot in sauté mode for 6 minutes at High. Add oil ( or ghee), followed by red chilies, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds. As the seeds start to sizzle, add chopped onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté them while stirring until they sweat and start to turn goldish.

Now quickly add chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, black cardamom powder, and salt. Give them a quick stir and add ¼ cup of water. Mix well and add tomato paste. Mix tomato paste and let it cook for two minutes or until it starts to leave oil.

Now add the chana dal and mix well. Add 3 cups of water and close the lid of the instant pot.

Step 3 Pressure cook chana dal in an Instant pot

Cancel the sauté mode and select the pressure cook mode, at custom. Set the time to 12 minutes at High. When done, cancel the “keep hot” option and let the pressure release naturally.

Step 4 Garnish and serve

When the pressure has released, open the lid of the instant pot. Dal should be ready. You should be able to see dal grains as whole but on pressing they should be mushy.

Some people like runny, mashed dal. If that is you, just grab a metal whisk and whisk the cooked dal to turn into soupy dal. In central and south India people prefer this kind of dals ( split chickpea soup).

But we north Indians like to see our dal grains in the curry.

Now add the chopped cilantro and a teaspoon of butter or ghee. Transfer to a serving bowl and squeeze a lime into it. Serve hot with rice or roti.

How to make chana dal (pulses) without soaking on the stovetop in a pressure cooker?

Usually, we make chana dal in pressure cookers over stops. It’s just that the instant pots have changed the game. Let us go back to basics and make no soak chana dal in our conventional pressure cookers.

To make chana dal in a pressure cooker, start by placing a pressure cooker on flame. Then add oil, followed by whole spices, i.e., red chilies, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds.  As they start to sizzle add chopped onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until they turn golden yellow. Keep stirring regularly.

Then add all the powdered spices and give them a mix. Now add ¼ cup of water and put in the tomato paste. Mix well and let the tomato paste cook until it starts to leave the oil on the sides. Now add the chana dal, mix and add water slightly more than 3 cups of water. Somewhat 3+¼ cups of water as pressure cookers keep releasing the water in form of steam, unlike instant pots.

Now let it cook at high heat until you get 3 whistles (3 steam release cycles). Then reduce the flame to low and let it simmer for 12 minutes.

Then turn off the flame and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid of the pressure cooker. Add chopped cilantro and a dash of lime.

Serve hot with rice, chapati, naan, or paratha.

Timings for making chana dal by soaking

• If you soaked the chana dal for half an hour, pressure cooks chana dal for 10 minutes at high and let the pressure release naturally.
  
• If you soaked the dal for more than an hour, you might just need 8 minutes of pressure cooking at high.

What to serve along with instant pot chana dal?

Chana dal makes a great dinner as well as a lunch meal. Serve it alongside cooked basmati rice, or flatbreads like naan, pita bread, roti, or paratha. Alongside serve some salad and raita. And there you have a complete Indian meal at your disposal.

Variations of chana dal

There are three most popular variations of chana dal.

1. Chana dal with lauki in an instant pot. Lauki is a bottle guard. In this recipe, chana dal is cooked along with chopped lauki in an instant pot or pressure cooker. The recipe remains the same. While you add the chana dal, also add chopped lauki to the masala and cook them together. Also please note that lauki releases a lot of water. To reduce the water quantity by at least ¼ of a cup.
   
2. Chana dal with palak in instant pot. In this recipe, first, you will cook chana dal just as this recipe suggests. Then, while chana dal is pressure cooking, blanch chopped spinach leaves and set them aside. When the dal is cooked, combine blanched spinach into the dal. Mix well and add the tempering. Read this detailed recipe for Palak chana dal.
   
3. Chana dal fry. In chana dal fry chana dal is soaked for more than an hour and is preferably cooked in an open pot or pan, as we do not need the chana dal to be mushy. Then, it is given an additional tempering just like dal tadka.
   
4. Other less popular variations are cabbage chana dal and zucchini chana dal instant pot.
   

Storage notes

Refrigerate the leftover chana dal in an airtight container for 2-4 days.  For prolonged storage freeze in a freezer-safe container for weeks.

Recipe tips for making perfect chana dal in an instant pot

• Make sure to discard the water used for soaking the lentils.
  
• Use the same cup to measure chana dal and water. If serving it with rice use 3 cups of water per 1 cup of chana dal. If you plan to serve it alongside roti, use 2 ½ cups of water only.
  
• Adjust water if you soaked the dal for more than an hour. It has probably absorbed a good amount of water. Use only 2 cups of water in that recipe.
  
• If you are making lauki chana dal in an instant pot, add chopped lauki with chana dal. Reduce water by half a cup. Lauki releases a lot of water on cooking. Follow the rest of the recipe as such.
  
• To make this recipe vegan friendly, replace ghee with h vegetable oil of your choice.
  
• If making the chana dal without soaking in the pressure cooker, add ¼ cup of water. Pressure cookers keep releasing steam while cooking, whereas the instant pots lock in the steam and no water is lost while cooking.
  
• If you soaked the chana dal for half an hour, pressure cook cooks dal for 10 minutes at high and let the pressure release naturally.
  
• If you soaked the dal for more than an hour, you might just need 8 minutes of pressure cooking at high.
  
• Skip ghee to make the vegan chana dal in an instant pot or pressure cooker.
  
• Size of the instant pot matters. I have made this chana dal recipe in 6 qt Instant pot duo Nova. If you have a larger or smaller instant pot, the exact timings might vary by a minute or two. For making this recipe in 3 Qt, add 2 minutes to the cooking time. And reduce the pressure cook time by 1 minute if using an 8 qt instant pot.
  
  

Frequently Asked Questions

Suggested recipes

More dal recipes or instant pot recipes that might interest you are as follows:

• Everything you need to know about easily making Ghee in Instant pot and stovetop
  
• How to bake perfect bread in Instant pot
  
• Daal Palak | How to make Indian Palak dal recipe?
  
• Dal Makhani: No soak pressure cook recipe
  
• Masala Urad dal
  
• How to make Authentic Chana masala recipe with canned chickpeas
  
• Sweet corn masala
  

I hope you will enjoy this chana dal recipe made in an instant pot. Share your results and opinions in the comment section below. Also, subscribe to never miss a recipe.

Till then,

Make it delicious and quick!

Chana dal in an instant pot Recipe card