Instant Pot Green Moong Pulao Rice

5 from 2 votes

Learn how to make Instant Pot green moong dal pulao with whole mung beans, basmati rice, and spices. An easy, protein-rich vegan rice dish.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Soaking time5

Total Time5 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegan

Allergen: Dairy free, Gluten free

Difficulty: Easy

Servings:

Calories: 317kcal

Start by soaking the green gram or moong dal overnight or for 4-6 hours.
To get started with the rice, press the ‘saute’ option on your Instant Pot and saute cumin seeds, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, bay leaf in 3 teaspoon of oil. Saute them until the cumin seeds start to sizzle.
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf, 2 cloves, 2 cardamoms, 2 tablespoon olive oil, ½ inch cinnamon stick
Add chopped garlic, ginger, green chilies, and chopped onions continue to saute until the onion turns translucent.
1 onion, 2 teaspoon ginger, 2 garlic cloves, 2 green chilies
Add the tomatoes, and spices (red chili powder, turmeric, and garam masala). Sir well.
1 Tomato, ½ teaspoon garam masala, ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, Salt to taste
Add salt and soaked green gram, rinsed rice, and 2 cups of water. Stir well to get an even mix and press ‘cancel’ to stop sauteing.
½ cup green gram, 1 ¼ cup basmati rice
Now close the lid on the instant pot and press the ‘pressure cook’ setting. Set the timer for 5 mins high pressure.
Once the timer goes off, do a natural pressure release.
When the pressure pin goes down on the Instant Pot, remove the lid and garnish the rice with cilantro. Fluff rice a little with a fork to let it cool down.
Coriander leaves
Instant Pot Moong Rice is ready! Serve it hot paired with a gravy-rich curry or raita.

Use canned tomatoes or fresh ones as per your choice.
Soaking the dal for at least 4-6 hours or overnight helps it soften and cook evenly with the rice in the Instant Pot.
Washing removes excess starch and helps the pulao cook into separate, fluffy grains instead of becoming sticky.
Too much water can make the rice mushy, while too little water may leave the dal
undercooked.Let the cumin seeds and whole spices sizzle in oil first. This step releases their aroma and builds the base flavor of the pulao.
Since the dal is already soaked, a short pressure cook time is enough to cook both rice and lentils perfectly.
Let the pressure release naturally so the rice grains remain intact and fluffy.
Use a fork to fluff the pulao instead of stirring aggressively, which can break the rice grains.
Reduce green chilies for a mild version or add extra for a spicier pulao