Varan Bhaat Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup Arhar dal (toor dal or split pigeon peas)
• 3 cups Water (for cooking dal)
• Salt (to taste)
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoons Jaggery (Gur)
• 1 cup Basmati rice
• 1 ½ - 2 cups Water (for cooking rice (1.5 cups for firm texture rice grains, 2 cups for soft and slightly mushy texture))
• 1 ½ tablespoon Ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon Hing (Asafoetida)

Instructions

1. 1

   Wash toor dal under running cold water until water runs clear or rinse 2-3 times in a bowl until water is not cloudy anymore.

2. 2

   Similarly, wash or rinse the rice. Take that into instant pot steamer insert, and add water and salt. Keep it ready.

3. 3

   Add rinsed toor dal in instant pot liner along with salt, turmeric powder, jaggery and water.

4. 4

   Place a tall rack in the center.

5. 5

   Place rice container on the rack and cover it with a lid.

6. 6

   Cover the instant pot with a lid, and keep the valve to sealing position. Pressure cook on manual (high pressure) for 10 minutes. Let it NPR (Natural pressure release). Once the pin drops open the lid.

7. 7

   Carefully remove the rice container lid. NOTE: The water may be collected on the lid. Make sure not to spill the collected water on the rice. Take the rice container and rack out.

8. 8

   Dal should be cooked and super soft, mushy texture. Using a whisk, start beating, it will mash the soft dal. You’ll have mashed dal yet slightly grainy (not super smooth).

9. 9

   For tempering, heat the small tadka pan on medium heat. Once hot add ghee. Once the ghee is hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle a bit. Add hing, swirl it around to mix.

10. 10

    Immediately add this tadka to the mashed dal, mix.