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madras lentils served in bowl, garnished with butter and cilantro.
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Madras Lentils Recipe

This Madras Lentil recipe is easy and delicious. In under 30 minutes, lentils are tossed in a creamy tomato sauce, a tasty weeknight dinner!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Indian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Soaking time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 124kcal
Author Sujatha Muralidhar

Ingredients

For prepping

  • 2 cups adzuki beans /or lentils

For seasoning

  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½ cup onion chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ginger grated
  • 1 tablespoon garlic grated
  • 14 oz crushed tomato fresh
  • 2 teaspoon red chili powder /cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder

For making

  • 3 cup water /until beans are submerged
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
  • 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped
  • 2 tablespoon butter

Instructions

For prepping

  • Soak lentils overnight or until it is tender.

For seasoning

  • Set the instant pot in the sauté mode. 
  • Add vegetable oil and onion. And sauté until onion becomes translucent.
  • Add grated ginger and garlic, cook until it is fragrant.
  • Add crushed tomato, red chili powder, coriander powder.

For making

  • Add soaked, drained adzuki beans, and water. 
  • Select manual button and set the timer for 15 minutes and cook. 
  • And wait for another 10 minutes to allow the pressure to release.
  • Open the lid, crush half of the lentil with the spoon gently.
  • Immediately add salt and Madras curry powder.
  •  Garnish with butter and chopped cilantro. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Substitutions: Use adzuki beans, regular lentils, red beans, or moong beans. Swap crushed tomatoes with finely chopped fresh tomatoes. Replace Indian red chili powder with cayenne pepper or smoked paprika. Use store-bought or homemade Madras curry powder, or swap it with Garam masala.
  • Adjusting the Heat: This dish has moderate heat from red chili powder. Reduce or replace it with paprika for a milder taste. If it's too spicy after cooking, balance it with coconut milk or a blob of butter.
  • Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
  • Reheating: Thaw frozen lentils overnight in the refrigerator or use the microwave’s defrost setting. Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water or microwave for convenience while retaining freshness.

Nutrition

Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 397mg | Potassium: 492mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg