Dal Palak in Instant Pot

4.95 from 19 votes

Dal Palak – a simple one-pot curry made with spinach, red lentils and spices. This healthy, protein and iron-rich curry go well with rice. The simple vegan and gluten-free spinach lentil curry made in Instant Pot makes a quick and easy dish that gets ready in 20 minutes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Curries, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings:

Calories: 62kcal

Author: Geetha

Equipment

1 instant pot (I use Duo 7 in 1, 5 Quart)

Ingredients

1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml

1.5 Tablespoon Oil
½ Teaspoon Mustard seeds
½ Teaspoon Cumin seeds
few Curry leaves
¼ Teaspoon Asafoetida
1 Teaspoon Ginger chopped
2 Teaspoon Garlic chopped
1 cup (113 gms) Onion 1 large, chopped
3-4 Green chillies chopped
1 cup (161 gms) Tomato 2 medium, chopped
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
3 cups (175 gms) Spinach
½ cup (112 gms) Red Lentils (masoor dal)
2 cups Water
juice from half Lime adjust to taste
Salt as required

Instructions

Switch on the Instant Pot and turn to sauté mode ON.
Add oil, once hot add mustard, cumin. Stir and fry for few seconds and let the mustard splutter for few seconds.
1.5 Tablespoon Oil, ½ Teaspoon Mustard seeds, ½ Teaspoon Cumin seeds
Now add curry leaves, asafoetida and saute for few seconds.
few Curry leaves, ¼ Teaspoon Asafoetida
Add onion followed by ginger, garlic, green chillies and sauté for a couple of minutes or until the onion starts to soften.
1 Teaspoon Ginger, 2 Teaspoon Garlic, 1 cup (113 gms) Onion, 3-4 Green chillies
Stir in turmeric powder.
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
Add tomatoes, sauté and cook for 1-2 minutes or just until tomatoes start to soften.
1 cup (161 gms) Tomato
Now add spinach, sauté and cook for a minute.
3 cups (175 gms) Spinach
CANCEL the sauté mode.
Add lentils, water and mix well.
½ cup (112 gms) Red Lentils (masoor dal), 2 cups Water
Close the pot with lid, ensure the pressure release valve is turned to the SEALING position.
Select pressure cook mode, HIGH for 5 minutes. Once finished, let the pressure release naturally (NPR).
Turn pressure valve to VENTING position and wait until the FLOAT VALVE goes down completely. Take the lid off the pan, add lemon juice, salt and mix until dal is well mashed.
juice from half Lime, Salt
Enjoy piping hot palak dal with steamed rice.

Video

Notes

Add more or less chillies to suit your preferred spice levels. I’ve used medium hot variety green chillies.

You may swap red chillies or red chilli powder for green chillies.

There is no specific amount or ratio of lentils and spinach in this recipe. Add more or less spinach as per your likings.

I’ve used baby spinach that doesn’t really need to be chopped. If you use regular spinach chop them roughly.

Use a wooden spoon to turn the pressure valve to a venting position to prevent hurting your fingers.

If you want your dal to be of smooth texture or if you don't like spinach to appear leafy then blend curry with a hand blender until it reaches your desired texture. However, the colour of the curry may change to light green.

Once the timer goes off, Instant Pot is automatically set to KEEP WARM mode. As the name indicates it keeps the curry warm until you cancel the program and ready to serve.

Nutrition