{"id":26315,"date":"2019-03-01T14:53:27","date_gmt":"2019-03-01T19:53:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.slimmingeats.com\/blog\/?p=26315"},"modified":"2024-09-17T12:17:53","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T17:17:53","slug":"instant-pot-tarka-dhal-tadka-dal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.slimmingeats.com\/blog\/instant-pot-tarka-dhal-tadka-dal","title":{"rendered":"Instant Pot Tarka Dhal (Tadka Dal)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Instant Pot Tarka Dhal - a simple, delicious vegetarian curry dish using split pigeon peas and ready in minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tarka<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Indian food has got to be high up there on my list. I just love the amazing combination of spices that are used in the dishes, never lacking in flavour or boring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes it can take a while to build up a collection of all the right spices that go in many Indian dishes, but once you have them, you can create such a wide variety of recipes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tarka Dhal (or otherwise called Tadka Dal) is one of my all time favourites. A popular Indian dish of lentils with onions, garlic and tomatoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"close<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But not just any old lentils. The most common type of lentils used in this dish are Split Pigeon Peas (Toor Dal)<\/strong><\/a>. They can sometimes be hard to source or slightly more expensive than regular lentils, but well worth seeking out if you can, as they really do make this dish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obviously, if you can't get hold of split pigeon peas, then yellow split peas will work well in this recipe also. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another ingredient that not everyone will have in the store cupboard that I always like to use in my Tarka Dhal recipe, is ghee<\/a>. A popular cooking fat in Indian cooking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use a regular chilli powder, whatever you have on hand, but I like to use Deggi Mirch<\/a><\/strong> in my curries, which is a great chilli powder for Indian dishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"close<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I always have a jar of this on hand and will happily use a few calories to make an authentic Indian recipe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, you can make this by using a cooking oil spray, but really to get those amazing flavours, it's always best to cook the spices, onion and garlic etc using the real deal and it's not a huge amount of calories when divided up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I fancy a meat-free dish, it is pretty much always a lentil curry like this Tarka Dhal that goes on my menu as it is just so quick and easy to make in the Instant Pot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wait!! What's an Instant Pot<\/a>?,  I hear you say. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Instant Pot<\/a><\/strong> is a brand of multi-function pressure cooker. It's one of my favourite cooking appliances. I love this thing so much, that I almost use it EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is basically a 7in1 cooker, and it slow cooks, pressure cooks, saute's, has settings for soup, chilli, rice, porridge and even makes yoghurt (I haven't tried that yet).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tarka<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Love lentils and want some other recipes to try? Check out these:<\/p>\n\n\n\n