Instant Pot Sultani Dal

This Instant Pot Sultani Dal is a super-rich, creamy dal from the state of Uttar Pradesh. It’s the smoky flavored Sultani dal prepared with split pigeon peas, yogurt, milk and cream, butter and of course ghee. 

A dal can’t get any richer than this. Yes, we need all those dairy products for this dal. I said it’s a smoky flavored dal too. :-) 

Uttar Pradesh is known for both Awadhi and Bhojpuri cuisine. And these both cuisines are heavily influenced by Mughlai cuisine. I learnt quite a bit about these cuisines from Raja Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniyaan.

As I explored further, I stumbled upon the Sultani dal, and I was amazed how we can transform the humble dal to this royal and rich dal. I immediately searched for this recipe, and I decided to go with this one. I wanted to add the smoky flavor too, and then my quest for charcoal began.

Charcoal

As we don’t have a grill in our backyard, I have no clue about the charcoal variety. Oh boy, I got so confused with the types of coal available here in the US. All I wanted was just one charcoal and one fine day as I was sharing my blog updates with my colleagues, I shared this charcoal saga as well.

Finally, my colleague helped me to find the non-chemical variety and even got one piece for me. :-) I used the bay leaf for the smoky flavor, but you can use betel leaf as mentioned in the original recipe. It was fun trying the smoky flavor, and I was bit scared as I was using instant pot. I turned my IP off and even pulled off the plug and then tried infusing the smoky effect.

I used a big charcoal piece, so I did not burn it completely. And I would recommend using a small piece for this recipe. There is a lot of room to improvise, but I am glad that I stepped out of the comfort zone and tried it. :-) Now that I have learnt how to infuse the smoky flavor on the stove top, I have quite a few new recipes to experiment. So stay tuned.

Recap:

• 2015 | Day 26 – South Tamil Nadu Trip
• 2016 | Day 26 – Sukha Bhel with Barley Puffs
• 2017 | Day 26 – Instant Pot Sultani Dal

Instant Pot Sultani Dal

A Mughalai influenced royal and rich smoky flavored dal prepared with split pigeon peas, yogurt, milk and cream, butter and of course ghee.

Ingredients:

• Onion – 1
• Garlic – 2
• Green chili – 2
• Cloves – 3
• Cardamom -2
• Cinnamon – 1 inch
• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
• Milk – ½ cup
• Cream – 1 tbsp.
• Yogurt – 2 tbsps.
• Saffron – a generous pinch
• Butter – 1 tbsp.
• Ghee – 1 tbsp.
• Salt – 2 tsps.
• Sugar – 1 tsp
• Toor dal -1 cup
• Water – 2 cups + 3 tbsps
• Turmeric – ½ tsp
• Cilantro – handful
• For Smoky Flavor:
• Bay leaf -1
• Charcoal piece- 1
• Ghee- 1 tsp
• Garam masala – ½ tsp

Prep – Work:

• Cut the onion and cilantro and set aside.
• Slit the green chili into and chop the garlic into small pieces.
• Soak the saffron in 3 tbsps of water and set aside.

Steps:

Cooking the Dal – Instant Pot Method:

• Wash the toor dal and add it the IP. Add two cups of water and turmeric powder and set it manual mode and cook for 7 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.
• When the pressure is all released, mash the dal transfer the dal to the separate bowl. Wash the IP pot and wipe it clean.

Cooking the Dal – Pressure Cooker Method:

• Wash the toor dal and pressure cook by adding two cups of water and turmeric powder.
• When the pressure is all released, mash the dal and set aside.

Tempering the Dal (Both Instant pot and Stovetop Methods):

• If using IP, Set the IP in sauté mode and add the ghee and butter. Else heat the heavy bottom vessel and add the ghee and butter.
• When the butter melts, add the cumin seeds, cinnamon, green cardamom, and cloves.

• Sauté for a minute and then add the chopped onion, garlic, and green chili. Cook until the onion turns translucent.

• Next, add the cooked dal and salt. Mix them thoroughly.

• Then add yogurt and milk and mix again. Cover and cook for two to three minutes. I used my glass lid for the covering and cooking.

• Then add the saffron water along with saffron and let it simmer for a minute.

• Finally, add the cream and bring it to one boil and keep it warm mode if using IP or over a low flame on the stove top.

Smoky Flavor:

• I just lit my charcoal directly on the stove top like below. It should be hot enough to produce the smoky flavor.
• Place the bay leaf in a small bowl and keep the hot charcoal on top and add ghee and garam masala.

• Put this bowl inside the dal mix and cover it and switch off the flame and keep for ten minutes. If using IP, turn it off completely and unplug it. Place the bowl inside and cover it with a lid.
• That’s it. The Royal Sultani Dal is ready. Serve hot with rice/naan/roti.

Notes:

• Please be careful while lighting the charcoal and adding the smoky flavor. Turn off the heat and unplug the IP when doing the same.
• The original recipe calls for betel leaf. So instead of bay leaf, you can use betel leaf too.
• Adjust the salt and spices as per your preference.
• While adding yogurt, keep stirring the mix so that the yogurt doesn’t curdle.
• Make sure you mash the dal nicely, and that adds the creamy flavor as well.

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Instant Pot Sultani Dal

A Mughalai influenced royal and rich smoky flavored dal prepared with split pigeon peas, yogurt, milk and cream, butter and of course ghee.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, rice accompaniment, roti accompaniments

Cuisine: Indian, North Indian

Servings: 4

Calories: 188kcal

Author: Srividhya G

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 Onion
• ▢ 2 Garlic
• ▢ 2 Green chili
• ▢ 2 Cardamom
• ▢ 1 inch Cinnamon
• ▢ ½ tsp Cumin seeds
• ▢ ½ cup Milk
• ▢ 1 tbsp Cream
• ▢ 2 tbsps Yogurt
• ▢ Saffron a generous pinch
• ▢ 1 tbsp Butter
• ▢ 1 tbsp Ghee
• ▢ 2 tsps Salt
• ▢ 1 tsp Sugar
• ▢ 1 cup Toor dal
• ▢ 2 cups Water 3 tbsps
• ▢ ½ tsp Turmeric
• ▢ Cilantro handful

For Smoky Flavor

• ▢ 1 Bay leaf
• ▢ 1 Charcoal piece
• ▢ 1 tsp Ghee
• ▢ ½ tsp Garam masala

Instructions

Prep – Work

• Cut the onion and cilantro and set aside.
• Slit the green chili into and chop the garlic into small pieces.
• Soak the saffron in 3 tbsps of water and set aside.

Steps

Cooking the dal

Instant Pot Method

• Wash the toor dal and add it the IP. Add two cups of water and turmeric powder and set it manual mode and cook for 7 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.
• When the pressure is all released, mash the dal transfer the dal to the separate bowl. Wash the IP pot and wipe it clean.

Pressure cooker Method

• Wash the toor dal and pressure cook by adding two cups of water and turmeric powder.
• When the pressure is all released, mash the dal and set aside.
• Tempering the Dal: (Both Instant pot and Stovetop method)
• If using IP, Set the IP in sauté mode and add the ghee and butter. Else heat the heavy bottom vessel and add the ghee and butter.
• When the butter melts, add the cumin seeds, cinnamon, green cardamom, and cloves.
• Sauté for a minute and then add the chopped onion, garlic, and green chili. Cook until the onion turns translucent.
• Next, add the cooked dal and salt. Mix them thoroughly.
• Then add yogurt and milk and mix again. Cover and cook for two to three minutes. I used my glass lid for the covering and cooking.
• Then add the saffron water along with saffron and let it simmer for a minute.
• Finally, add the cream and bring it to one boil and keep it warm mode if using IP or over a low flame on the stove top.

Smoky Flavor

• I just lit my charcoal directly on the stove top like below. It should be hot enough to produce the smoky flavor.
• Place the bay leaf in a small bowl and keep the hot charcoal on top and add ghee and garam masala.
• Put this bowl inside the dal mix and cover it and switch off the flame and keep for ten minutes. If using IP, turn it off completely and unplug it. Place the bowl inside and cover it with a lid.
• That’s it. The Royal Sultani Dal is ready. Serve hot with rice/naan/roti.

Notes

• Please be careful while lighting the charcoal and adding the smoky flavor.
• Turn off the heat and unplug the IP when doing the same.
• The original recipe calls for betel leaf. So instead of bay leaf, you can use betel leaf too.
• Adjust the salt and spices as per your preference.
• While adding yogurt, keep stirring the mix so that the yogurt doesn’t curdle.
• Make sure you mash the dal nicely, and that adds the creamy flavor as well. Adapted from Vah Chef

Nutrition

Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 1293mg | Potassium: 268mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 195IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 1mg

I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

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