Instant Pot Mooli Dal – White Radish Lentil Soup

Let’s just cut to the chase: I’m here to tell you that this Instant Pot Mooli Dal – White Radish Lentil Soup is the easiest lentil recipe ever. Finally, get a family favorite meal on the table fast on week nights!

Mooli dal might seem BORING, but….c’mon, imagine having veggies in the lentil soup that the kiddos can eat without complaining! 

I am always looking at making fast and tasty meals, without too much effort. That’s when the instant pot and a well thought out recipe comes to the RESCUE. This recipe is just that! It’s almost entirely hands-off; there’s no constant stirring or waiting for the lentils to boil and then wait to add the oil and tempering ingredients later.

What ingredients do I need to make Instant Pot Mooli Dal – White Radish Lentil Soup?

Lentils/Dal: Small yellow lentils also known as split moong dal/mung dal or split yellow mung beans. This dal is easily available in the Indian grocery store or on amazon. This dal is made from whole mung beans (green moong dal) that have been hulled and split.

Radish: White radish also known as Daikon’s are typically used in Asian cooking. If you don’t find Daikon in your local grocery store, try an Asian grocery store like H Mart, or an Indian grocery store. I buy mine from an Indian grocery store. Subsequently, for this recipe I have used half a white radish, approximately 2 cups peeled and diced. Here is what they look like. This one is peeled and chopped from the sides. The bottom picture is how it is supposed to look after being peeled, washed, and chopped.

Spices and other ingredients: 

Oil of choice, cumin seeds (jeera), mustard seeds (rai), whole dried red chili peppers, Serrano pepper, asafoetida (heeng), ginger garlic paste, ground turmeric, salt, water, and fresh cilantro.

Ginger garlic paste: I used packaged ginger garlic paste from the Indian store. You can also mince equal quantities of fresh ginger and garlic to make your own paste.

How are we going to make Instant Pot Mooli Dal – White Radish Lentil Soup?

Firstly, select sauté on the instant pot, add oil, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds. Further, when the mustard seeds splutter, add whole dried red chili peppers, Serrano pepper, asafoetida (heeng), and chopped radish. Furthermore, add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for about a minute.

Additionally, add in lentils, water, salt, and ground turmeric.

Finally, give it a good stir, select manual and pressure cook for 10 minutes. DONE and DONE.

Also, try some of my other lentil recipes and provide a feedback. Last but not the least, hope you enjoy making this dal!

Instant Pot Dry Spinach and Lentil

Instant Pot Palak Dal

Instant Pot Sultani Dal

Tried this recipe yet? Give us a rating, comment below in the reply section and let us know what you think.

Instant Pot Mooli Dal – White Radish Lentil Soup

Shilpa

Let’s get cooking this super easy and healthy lentil soup/dal.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp oil of choice
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
• 2 whole dried red chili peppers
  
  
• 1 serrano pepper (green chili pepper) (sliced into 2 halves lengthwise)
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (heeng)
• 1/2 daikon (white radish) (2 cups peeled and chopped into 1.5 inch pieces)
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste (freshly minced or packaged)
• 1 cup split yellow moong beans/lentils (split yellow moong dal/moong dal dhuli)
• 3.5 cups water
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (haldi)
• 2 tbsp cilantro (fresh and finely chopped) (dhaniya ke patte)

Instructions

 

Prep

• Wash the lentils a few times and discard the water. Make sure there is no residual water.
• Wash and finely chop the cilantro.
• Chop the long radish into two halves. Wash and peel one half and dice it into 1.5 inch cubes. Save the other half for use next time.

Cook

• Select sauté on the instant pot and adjust to normal.
• Add oil to the pot.
• When the oil is hot add cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
• When the seeds splutter, add whole dried red chili peppers, serrano pepper, and asafoetida. Stir.
• Then add the chopped white radish. Stir and let the radish sauté for roughly one minute.
• Then add the ginger garlic paste.
• Then add the lentils (dal) and water.
• Add salt and ground turmeric.
• Scrape off the sides and bottom to make sure nothing is stuck on the sides or bottom.
• Press cancel. 
• Secure the lid on the pot and close the pressure-release valve.
• Select manual and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.
• When cooking is complete, use quick pressure release to depressurize.
• Open the lid.
• Transfer into a serving bowl and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Serve

• Serve with steamed rice, roti or naan (Indian flatbread).

Keyword Instant Pot Mooli Dal, Instant Pot Radish Dal, Instant Pot Radish Lentil Soup, Mooli Dal, Radish Dal