Nepalese-style Dal Bhat (Pressure Cooker)

Ingredients - Dal

- 1 cup split red lentils, thoroughly rinsed and drained
- 3.5 to 4 cups
​- 1 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
- 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped),
- 2 tomatoes (chopped) (or 1/2 cup passata sauce / 1tbsp tomato paste)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- fresh ginger (grated)
- 1 green chili (slit lengthwise)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
​- Fresh lemon juice
- Fresh cilantro (coriander), chopped

Ingredients for Flat Bread 

- 1 cup Self-raising flour (plus a little extra for dusting)

- Approx. 1/3 to 1/2 cup of warm/hot water

- 1/4 tsp Salt

- 1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil (optional, but keeps them extra soft)

​Instructions - Dal

- Set pressure cooker to Sauté mode (or high heat on a stovetop pressure cooker).

- Add 1 tbsp oil. 

- Once hot, toss in the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds. 

- Add the chopped onion, green chili, garlic, and ginger. 

- Sauté for 3–4 minutes until the onions soften and turn translucent.

- Stir in the chopped tomatoes, ground turmeric, coriander, ground cumin, and salt. 

- Cook for about 2 minutes until the tomatoes soften and break down slightly.

- Add the rinsed red lentils and 3.5 cups of water into the pot. 

- Stir well, scraping up any spices stuck to the bottom.

- Pressure cook for 6-8 minutes 

- Open the pressure cooker lid and give the dal a good stir. 

- Stir in fresh lemon juice and chopped cilantro. 

- Serve warm poured directly over a bed of fluffy rice.

Instructions - Flat Bread 

- In a bowl, combine 1 cup of self-raising flour and 1/4 tsp salt. 

- Pour in 1 tbsp of oil (if using) and start with 1/3 cup of warm-to-hot water. 

- Stir with a spoon until a rough dough forms. 

- If it feels too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time.

- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. 

- Knead gently for 1 to 2 minutes until it comes together into a smooth ball. (Avoid over-kneading, as self-raising flour dough gets tough if worked too long). 

- Cover with a damp cloth or bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.

- Divide the dough into 3 or 4 equal balls.

 

- Dust your rolling pin and surface lightly with self-raising flour. 

- Roll each ball out into a thin circle, roughly 2–3 mm thick.

- Heat a dry skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. 

- Place one flatbread into the dry pan. 

- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until bubbles form on the top and golden-brown spots appear underneath. 

- Flip and cook the other side for another 1 to 2 minutes.

- Transfer the cooked flatbread to a clean kitchen towel and wrap it up while you cook the rest—the trapped steam will keep them soft and bendable, perfect for scooping up your Dal.