Simple Indian Vegetarian Meal: Dal, Cauliflower Curry & Stir-fried Pumpkin

Step 1: Prepare the Dal

Add 1/4 cup each of red lentils (masoor dal) and yellow moong beans (moong dal) to an Instant Pot. Add chopped tomatoes, sliced onions, 1 heaped teaspoon of grated ginger, 1 dry bay leaf, 2 cloves, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 2 teaspoons salt, and a drop of oil to prevent foaming. Pour in 3 cups of hot water.

Step 2: Pressure Cook the Dal

Close the Instant Pot lid and pressure cook the dal for 10 minutes. If using a stovetop pressure cooker, bring to full pressure on high heat, then lower heat to low and set a timer for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Prepare the Masala Paste

Combine garlic cloves, ginger pieces, 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds, and 1 heaped teaspoon black peppercorns in a blender jar. Blend everything without water first. Then, add 1/2 cup of water and blend to a smooth paste. You may need to switch the blender on and off multiple times to achieve a smooth consistency. Save any leftover paste in an airtight jar in the refrigerator or freezer for future use.

Step 4: Start the Cauliflower Curry

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pot or pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, lower the heat to low and add 1 dry bay leaf, followed by 1 teaspoon of Bengali five spices (panch phoron).

Step 5: Sauté Onions and Masala Paste

Add sliced onions to the pan and fry on medium-high heat until they turn a little pale. Then, add 3-4 tablespoons of the prepared ginger-garlic-cumin-black pepper paste and stir briefly. Add sliced tomatoes and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, then stir on medium-high heat until the tomatoes start falling apart.

Step 6: Add Vegetables to Cauliflower Curry

Add cubed potatoes and cauliflower florets to the pan. Add salt to taste. Stir well until all the cauliflower and potatoes are well coated with the masala. Cover the pan and keep it on medium heat.

Step 7: Start the Stir-fried Pumpkin

While the cauliflower curry is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in another pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, lower the heat to low and add 1 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji) and 1/2 a dry red chili. Add the peeled and sliced pumpkin to the pan.

Step 8: Season and Cook Pumpkin

Increase the heat to medium. Add 1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida (hing) and stir. Cover the pan and let it stay on low heat.

Step 9: Finish Cauliflower Curry

Add 1/2 teaspoon of homemade garam masala powder and whole green chilies to the cauliflower curry. Pour in about 1 cup of hot water. Cover the pan and let it simmer away on low heat until the vegetables are soft. Once cooked, add chopped cilantro and remove the bay leaf. The cauliflower curry is now ready.

Step 10: Finish Stir-fried Pumpkin

Add 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder to the pumpkin and stir. Cover the pan again and cook until the pumpkin starts getting tender. Once tender, add salt to taste and 1 teaspoon of sugar (optional). Stir well. Increase the heat to high and stir until the pumpkin looks beautiful and is done.

Step 11: Prepare Dal for Tempering

After the dal has finished pressure cooking and the pressure has naturally released, open the Instant Pot. The dal should be cooked. Add some hot water if it's too thick for your preference. Remove the bay leaf and fish out the cloves, then discard them. Switch on the sauté function of the Instant Pot to bring the dal to another boil.

Step 12: Prepare Dal Tempering (Tadka)

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small tadka pan. Once the oil is hot, lower the heat to low and add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds (jeera) and 1/2 a dry red chili broken into half. Switch off the heat of your stove. Add 1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida (hing) and 2 teaspoons of paprika.

Step 13: Temper the Dal

Pour the aromatic tempering into the boiling dal in the Instant Pot. Switch off your pressure cooker or stovetop. The dal is now complete.

Step 14: Serve the Meal

Serve the freshly cooked dal, cauliflower curry, and stir-fried pumpkin with white rice, sliced cucumber, sliced red onion, a lemon wedge, and a bowl of plain unflavored yogurt.

• For picky eaters, crush cloves in a mortar and pestle before adding to the dal, or remove them after cooking.

• When preparing the dal tempering (tadka), switch off the heat before adding asafoetida and paprika to prevent them from burning.

• Add salt to the stir-fried pumpkin at the end of cooking to prevent the pumpkin from becoming mushy and falling apart.

• If nigella seeds are unavailable for the pumpkin dish, you can use cumin seeds or mustard seeds instead.

• Chopped garlic can be used in place of asafoetida in the pumpkin dish, or asafoetida can be omitted entirely.

• Kashmiri chili powder can be used instead of paprika for the dal tempering.