Vegan Masala recommends
Pressure cooker or Instant Pot
Useful for getting chickpeas, beans and lentils tender without a long stovetop simmer.
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Vegan Masala Recipe
Pressure Cooker Whole Moong Dal
Whole green moong becomes creamy and deeply savoury in the pressure cooker while keeping just enough texture. A fragrant tadka turns this humble dal into a satisfying meal.
Recipe by Craig LogueHow our recipes are created
30 minPrep: 10 minCook: 20 minServes 4IndianVegan
moong dalinstant pot dalpressure cooker dal
From the kitchen
What to expect
Whole moong needs more time than split lentils, but the pressure cooker handles that beautifully. Cook the beans until yielding, then add the sizzling tempering at the end so its aroma stays vivid.
Serving idea
Best served simply
Serve with steamed rice, roti, or a simple kachumber salad.
Useful equipment
Tools that make this recipe easier
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Vegan Masala recommends
Electric spice grinder
Freshly ground whole spices give masalas a brighter aroma than long-opened ground spices.
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Cook the recipe
Method
- 1
Add 1 cup rinsed moong dal, 1 large finely chopped onion, 2 medium chopped tomatoes, 1 inch grated ginger, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp salt, and 1 cup water to the pressure cooker.
- 2
Seal and cook on High Pressure for 20 minutes.
- 3
Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
- 4
Open the lid and stir the dal well so the lentils break down a little and the texture looks even.
- 5
Stir in 1 tsp sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
- 6
Taste and adjust salt or lemon if needed.
- 7
Finish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander and serve hot.
Gather everything first
Ingredients
- •1 cup moong dal, rinsed
- •1 large onion, finely chopped
- •2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- •1 inch ginger, grated
- •4 cloves garlic, minced
- •1 tsp turmeric
- •1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- •1 tsp ground cumin
- •1 tsp garam masala
- •1 tsp salt
- •1 cup water
- •1 tsp sugar
- •1 tbsp lemon juice
- •2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
A few useful notes
Notes
- •The dal should be soft and lightly broken, with enough body to coat a spoon. If it looks too thick after pressure cooking, loosen it with a little hot water.
- •If the tomatoes still taste sharp, give the dal a few minutes off the heat before serving. The flavour settles as it stands.
- •Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat cleanly on the stove with a splash of water.
- •For a thicker bowl, simmer briefly after pressure cooking; for a looser dal, add hot water a little at a time until it reaches the texture you want.
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