35 min
Instant Pot Red Lentil Coconut Curry
Red lentils, tomatoes, mild spices, coconut milk and spinach make a creamy meatless curry from inexpensive pantry staples.
Instant Pot Family Dinners
Instant Pot Dal Makhani with Garlic Naan
Whole black gram and kidney beans turn velvety in a mild tomato-butter sauce, with garlic naan ready for scooping up every creamy spoonful.
Directions
Soak and rinse the beans
Cover the black gram and kidney beans with at least 3 inches of cool water and soak 8 to 12 hours. Drain, rinse until the water runs clear and inspect once more for stones. Soaking time is not included in the active recipe time.
Sauté the aromatics
Select Sauté on Normal on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with the oil, then cook the onion for 6 minutes until soft. Add ginger, garlic, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garam masala and paprika and stir for 30 seconds. Cancel Sauté before the garlic darkens.
Deglaze and add thin liquid
Pour in the 5 cups water and scrape the base until it is completely smooth. Add the drained beans and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir once and confirm the cooker is no more than half full because beans expand and foam; do not add tomatoes, cream or remaining butter yet.
Pressure-cook and release naturally
Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 35 minutes; allow about 15 minutes for pressure to build. Let pressure release naturally for 20 minutes, then vent any remainder in short controlled pulses. Pause if foam sputters and open only after the float valve drops.
Check the beans
Taste one kidney bean and several black gram beans. They should crush easily between the tongue and roof of the mouth with no chalky center. If firm, add 1/2 cup hot water, lock the lid and pressure-cook 5 minutes more with a 10-minute natural release.
Finish the makhani sauce
Select Sauté on Low. Stir in crushed tomatoes, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon garam masala. Simmer 10 to 12 minutes, stirring and scraping often, until creamy. Stir in cream, remaining butter, optional fenugreek and lemon juice; simmer 2 minutes without boiling hard.
Serve with naan
Spoon the thick brown dal into bowls and make a small cream swirl on each, matching the photographed finish. Scatter with cilantro and serve warm garlic naan, cucumber and tomato alongside. Keep the shared pot mild and offer green chile or chile crisp at the table.
Why this works
Why it worksSoaking hydrates the dense whole black gram and kidney beans evenly, while a long natural release lets foaming subside and continues tenderizing without an aggressive vent.
Why it worksFive cups of water reach a completely deglazed base before the beans go in; tomatoes and dairy wait until after pressure so thick ingredients cannot settle and scorch.
Why it worksA short open-lid tomato reduction concentrates flavor while frequent stirring develops the naturally creamy body associated with dal makhani.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on Amazon6-quart electric pressure cookerThe five-cup thin-water base, half-full bean limit and long natural release are written for this capacity.See current options →
Compare on AmazonFine-mesh colanderFine mesh keeps whole black gram and kidney beans contained while you rinse and inspect them carefully.See current options →
Compare on Amazon12-inch cast-iron skilletA broad dry surface warms six naan quickly while the finished dal rests off heat.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- For a lighter finish, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream; add it off heat and do not boil after adding.
- Use vegan butter and unsweetened cashew cream for a dairy-free version, checking that the naan is also dairy-free.
- If garlic naan is unavailable, warm plain naan or roti; keep all bread outside the cooker so the bean-to-liquid ratio stays unchanged.
Cook notes
- Total time includes about 15 minutes to pressurize, the 35-minute cycle, a 20-minute natural release and the tomato-cream finish; the unattended overnight soak is additional.
- Written for a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Beans and other expanding foods must stay below the half-full line, and your exact model manual controls minimum liquid, fill limits and venting.
- Never quick-release a foamy bean pot. If liquid sputters during the final controlled vent, close the valve and wait several more minutes.
- Kidney beans must be fully cooked; pressure time is not a substitute for checking that every sampled bean is completely creamy with no firm center.
- The base is deliberately mild. Add cayenne, green chile or chile crisp only at the table for diners who want heat.
Storage
Cool the dal promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours and refrigerate for up to 4 days; store naan separately. Reheat the dal with water as needed, stirring often, until it reaches 165°F. Freeze dal for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator; warm naan fresh for serving.
Questions
Can I skip soaking the beans?
Not in this tested timing. Unsoaked whole black gram and kidney beans need substantially more water and pressure time, increasing foaming and making total time less predictable. Soak overnight or from breakfast until dinner.
Why are the tomatoes added after pressure?
Acid can slow bean softening, and thick tomato purée may settle on the hot base before full pressure develops. Adding it after the beans are tender improves consistency and reduces burn-warning risk.
Why did the dal thicken in the refrigerator?
The beans continue absorbing liquid as they cool. Reheat gently with 1/4 to 3/4 cup water, adding it in small splashes until the dal is creamy and spoonable again.
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Instant Pot Dal Makhani with Garlic Naan
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1. Soak and rinse the beansCover the black gram and kidney beans with at least 3 inches of cool water and soak 8 to 12 hours. Drain, rinse until the water runs clear and inspect once more for stones. Soaking time is not included in the active recipe time.
2. Sauté the aromaticsSelect Sauté on Normal on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with the oil, then cook the onion for 6 minutes until soft. Add ginger, garlic, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garam masala and paprika and stir for 30 seconds. Cancel Sauté before the garlic darkens.
3. Deglaze and add thin liquidPour in the 5 cups water and scrape the base until it is completely smooth. Add the drained beans and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir once and confirm the cooker is no more than half full because beans expand and foam; do not add tomatoes, cream or remaining butter yet.
4. Pressure-cook and release naturallyLock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 35 minutes; allow about 15 minutes for pressure to build. Let pressure release naturally for 20 minutes, then vent any remainder in short controlled pulses. Pause if foam sputters and open only after the float valve drops.
5. Check the beansTaste one kidney bean and several black gram beans. They should crush easily between the tongue and roof of the mouth with no chalky center. If firm, add 1/2 cup hot water, lock the lid and pressure-cook 5 minutes more with a 10-minute natural release.
6. Finish the makhani sauceSelect Sauté on Low. Stir in crushed tomatoes, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon garam masala. Simmer 10 to 12 minutes, stirring and scraping often, until creamy. Stir in cream, remaining butter, optional fenugreek and lemon juice; simmer 2 minutes without boiling hard.
7. Serve with naanSpoon the thick brown dal into bowls and make a small cream swirl on each, matching the photographed finish. Scatter with cilantro and serve warm garlic naan, cucumber and tomato alongside. Keep the shared pot mild and offer green chile or chile crisp at the table.