Instant Pot Veg Dhansak recipe. Lentils and vegetables are cooked in an instant pot with the most aromatic spice paste. It is one of the most well-balanced vegetarian one-pot dishes. This dish is easy, vegan, and gluten-free and comes together in around thirty minutes. It goes well with rice or any type of bread.
Dhansak is a very popular dish from the Parsi community in India. "Dhan" means grain and Sak means "vegetables". It is a wonderful recipe for using those unused vegetables in your fridge. Veg dhansak is a delicious combination of lentils and veggies in addition to being super nutritious and filling.
Ingredients Needed For Veg Dhansak?
We will need:
- Split Red lentil
- Pigeon Peas
- Split Yellow Lentils
- Eggplant/Brinjal/Aubergine
- Pumpkin
- Spinach Leaves
- Fresh Fenugreek Leaves(Optional)
- Zucchini/Squash/Lauki
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Onion
- Green Chili
- Lime/Lemon Juice
- Dry Red Chilli(optional)
- Whole Coriander Seeds
- Whole Cumin Seeds
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Salt
- Turmeric
- Black Mustard Seeds
As usual, we bought lots of green vegetables last weekend. While coming back we thought about ways to incorporate those vegetables into our diet, especially for the kids. Feeding them a few vegetables is always tricky, especially pumpkin, eggplant, and lauki/squash.
This time I thought I will make this week a traditional veg/lentil recipe week. Every day I will cook a dish that combines lots of vegetables and lentils that represents a different regional cuisine.
I am really excited about my idea and let's see how it goes. I have a few amazing dish ideas and I am sure my readers will love that too. So for the start of this week, I chose Veg Dhansak.
Why Use Instant Pot?
I agree that traditional cooking methods are amazing and that they infuse a lot of flavor by slow-cooking lentils and vegetables in a pot. Since times are changed now and cooking which involves a lot of time, does not excite many people. I decided to make it in an instant pot. Instant pot cooking is easy, fuss-free, quick, and just amazing.
How to make Instant Pot Veg Dhansak?
I have simplified the recipe and divided it into Four parts.
- Take three types of lentils(split red lentils. pigeon peas, and yellow lentils). Wash them and soak them in water for 10 minutes. Chop all the vegetables (I used pumpkin, eggplant, squash, spinach, and fenugreek leaves). Wash them and keep them aside.
- The second step is to make a masala/spice paste. Grind ginger, garlic, red chili, green chili, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds into a fine paste. Add turmeric and salt to that spice paste. Your dhansak spice mix is ready.
- The third step is to cook everything. Add oil to the instant pot. When it is hot enough, add the spice mix and cook it for 1-2 minutes till all the raw smell is gone. Add vegetables and lentils and mix the spice paste into everything. Add water and close the lid. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Let it release the pressure naturally. Remove the lid and use a hand blender to mix everything into a soup-like consistency. Squeeze the lime/lemon juice and mix nicely.
- The fourth part is to temper it. Temper dhansak with black mustard seeds, green chili, and cumin seeds. Taste it and garnish it with fresh cilantro. Serve it over rice or with bread. Enjoy.
What can we serve with veg dhansak?
It goes well with rice and any type of bread.
New Recipes
Instant Pot Veg Dhansak
Ingredients
- ⅓ Cup Pigeon Peas Lentil
- ¼ Cup Split Red Lentil
- ¼ Cup Yellow Lentil
- ¼ Cup Pumpkin (Big Chunks)
- ¼ Cup Eggplant Big Cubes
- ¼ Cup Zucchini/Squash Big Chunks
- ½ Cup Spinach Leaves
- ½ Cup Fenugreek Leaves(Optional)
- 6 Cloves Garlic ,chopped
- 1 Tbsp Ginger Chopped
- 2 Green Chilies chopped(optional)
- 2 Dry Red Chili(Optional)
- 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1.5 Tsp Coriander Seeds
- 2 Cloves
- 1 Inch Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Tsp Turmeric Powder
- Salt according to the taste.
- ½ Tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 1 Tsp Oil
For Tempering(Optional)
- 1 Tbsp Oil of your choice
- ½ Tsp Black Mustard Seeds
- ½ Tsp Cumin Seeds
- ½ Cup Finely Chopped Onion
Water for Cooking the lentils and Vegetables.-3 cups water
For Garnish
- 1 Lemon /Lime Juice
- ¼ Cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves
Instructions
- Wash all the lentils and soak them for 10 minutes in sufficient water.
- Wash and chop all the vegetables.Keep everything in a plate.
- Grind cumin seeds ,coriander seeds,ginger ,garlic,green chili ,red chili,cloves and cinnamon to make a fine paste.
- Turn on the saute button of the instant pot on .When it displays hot add oil to it .
- Add spice mix to the Instant pot and saute it for 1 minute or till all the raw smell is gone .
- Add vegetables and lentils to the masala paste. Mix properly and add 3 cups of water to it .Add turmeric and salt to it .Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.Let the steam release naturally .
- Remove the lid and stir the dhansak .With the help of a hand blender or whisker blend all the vegetables and lentils into a smooth soup like consistency.Add garam masala to it .
- Take a small pan .Add oil and heat it .Add cumin seeds and black mustard seeds.Let it crackle .
- Add chopped onion to it and saute on low /medium flame .Saute till it looks light brown /transparent .
- Mix lemon /lime juice in to the veg dhansak .Taste the salt .if needed add just a little .
- Transfer veg dhansak into a serving bowl and pour the tempering over it .
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.
- Enjoy veg dhansak .
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