Pumpkin Dal (Instant Pot & Stove Top method)
Indian yellow pumpkin dal is a delcious and nutritious dal made in the instant pot or stove top. Its vegan too!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- ¾ cup toor dal
- 2 cups cubed pumpkin (large pieces) heaping 2 cups
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 green chili, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ inch ginger, chopped
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1.5 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder or to taste I used kashmiri red chili powder (mild)
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 spring curry leaves
- 3 tsp oil
- 2.5 cups water stove top method will require little more water
- salt to taste
- lemon juice to taste
- big handful of finally chopped coriander leaves
Tempering (tadka) -
- 2 tsp oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- pinch of asafoetida
Instructions
Prepping-
- Wash the toor dal and soak in a cup of water while you prep rest of the ingredients.
- Wash the pumpkin, cut to halve, remove the seeds, peel the skin and cut to cubes. We will need heaping 2 cups of cubed pumpkin in this recipe.If cooking in instant pot- cut large cubes.If cooking in stove top- cut medium size cubes.
Instant Pot method -
- Turn on the instant pot on saute mode. Heat oil and add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle a bit. Add the chopped onion and curry leaves and saute for 2 minutes or until soft.
- Add the chopped green chili,ginger and garlic. Saute for a minute, till the raw smell goes away.
- Now add tomato and turmeric powder cook for a minute.Add the salt, coriander powder and red chili powder and coat with the onion tomato mixture. Cancel the saute mode.
- Add pumpkin, dal and water and give a mix making sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Close the lid and turn the vent to sealing position. Press pressure cooker (manual mode) and adjust the cook time to seven minutes.
- Once done, let the pressure release naturally.Mix it, if you feel the dal is thick add some water and cook on saute mode for a minute. Add some lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves.
Tempering(If using instant pot to make the dal)
- In a small pan add 2 tea spoons of oil, when the oil gets hot add mustards seeds and let them pop. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add few curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida and turn off the heat.Add this tempering to the dal and enjoy. with rice.
Stove Top method -
- Cook the toor dal in 3 cups of water till soft.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add mustard seeds and let them pop. Now add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Add the onion and curry leaves and cook till onion turns soft.
- Now add in the asafoetida, green chili and ginger-garlic and cook for a minute till the raw smells goes away.
- Add the tomato and turmeric powder and cook till mushy.
- Add the red chili powder, coriander powder and salt and give a mix.
- Add the cubed pumpkin and little water and cook till pumpkin is soft. Mix in between to avoid burning and splash with some water if needed.
- When the pumpkin is cooked, add the dal and adjust the water if needed. Simmer for 10 minutes and finish it some lemon juice and coriander leaves.
- Serve the pumpkin dal with rice and pickle.
Notes
I do the additional tempering only when I cook in the instant pot.
Toor dal may take more time to cook depending on the quality of the toor dal used.