Here’s another Instant Pot (IP) recipe from Tracy. She’s really enjoying her IP and really likes the website called Two Sleevers.

Tracy also has some comments about this recipe that she wants to share: Need comfort food? Wowzers! This is the most delicious way to cook lentils. I asked Urvashi (who is the author of all of the recipes I have shared this year) and she said it was okay to use any lentils but let me tell you that the whole black lentils are the yummiest lentils I have ever had! Don’t have an Instant Pot? Well, get one!!! Just kidding! If you don’t have an IP, just cook the lentils according to the package instructions along with the spices and herbs in the recipe. Lentils are so incredibly good for you and when combined with whole grain and dairy, they can comprise a complete protein. That is wonderful for a meatless meal or Fridays when you don’t want fish! This would be good over a whole grain pasta. Add a fresh spinach salad with other fresh veggies and you’re sitting down to one awesome meal.

The recipe follows below but you can click this link to head over to Two Sleevers site and get the complete lowdown on how to make this dish.

Ingredients

Boil Together:

• 1/2 cup whole black urad dal
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon Punjabi garam masala (see recipe below) or ordinary garam masala
• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1.5 cups water

Mix Together:

• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt (or drained soy yogurt)
• 1/2 cup half and half cream, or alternative milk of your choice, or cashew paste

For Finishing:

• 2 teaspoon Ghee (Earth Balance for non-diary)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste

Instructions

1. Wash the dal well and drain.
2. Add ginger, garlic, bay leaves, salt, Punjabi Garam Masala, turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, cayenne, and water.
3. Set the Instant pot or pressure cooker to high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow the pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, and then release all remaining pressure.
4. Meanwhile, mix together the yogurt, and milk/cream of choice.
5. When the dal is ready, open up the Instant Pot and using the back of a spoon, gently mash in some of the dal to make a thicker dal, leaving most of the dal intact.
6. Turn your Instant Pot onto its Keep Warm Setting, adding a little water if needed.
7. Heat a small saucepan or tadka ladle, add ghee when hot, and add in the cumin seeds which will start to sputter.
8. Put in the tomato paste and cook it for a while, until it absorbs all of the ghee.
9. Pour this paste into the dal and mix well.
10. Pour in your yogurt mixture and mix well, garnish with chopped cilantro if desired, and serve with naan, chappatis, or rice, or eat plain by the spoonful, which is what I do.

Notes

• Use whole black urad dal. If you need to use split urad dal, cook for 10 minutes under pressure.
• You do not need to soak the ural dal. You can just cook it from dry without any prep.
• I ask you to mash the dal with the back of a spoon. This is so that you can have a nice, thick, creamy dal.
• If you are vegan or dairy-free, you can use soy yogurt, coconut oil, and coconut cream in place of the yogurt, ghee, and half and half.
• This dal freezes very well, and tastes even better the next day so make extra!
• Ideally, you would use Punjabi gram masala for this recipe. If you don’t want to, you can use my regular Garam Masala recipe for it. If you don’t want to make it, I recommend this one.