Red lentils cook very fast, so you don't really need an instant pot. This recipe is excellent (thicker than a soup, more of a dahl), cheap, and super easy. The secret is the spice bloom at the end.
Red Dahl
1 C red lentils, rinsed and sorted
2 C water
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 onion
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled.
1 can diced tomatoes
1 Tb oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 heaping tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
3/4 tsp salt
Place lentils in a pot with 2 cups of water and bring to boil.
Meanwhile, food process onion, ginger, and garlic until finely chopped. Add onion mixture and tomatoes to lentils and stir to mix.
When lentil pot boils, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. After ~20 minutes, lentils should be soft and mushy.
When lentils are soft, heat oil in a pan until it shimmers. Add cumin and mustard seeds and let fry for a minute, until they crack. Add remaining spices to oil and stir to mix. Fry spices for another 30 seconds (be careful not to burn them), and then stir oil mixture into lentils, being careful of splattering oil. Add salt, stir to mix thoroughly, and adjust to taste.
