Today’s recipe comes from the Western part of Tamil Nadu, South India. This is a famous dish in that Kongu Nadu (Coimbatore)area. I think every household in that place will have its own version of making this Arisi Parupu Sadam/ Lentil Rice.

Arisi parupu sadam/ Lentil Rice
I haven’t had this dish until I got married. So obviously I learned this from my mom-in-law. In my husband’s home, this is made at least once a week. It’s one of my husband’s favorites too. So I have to learn to do this. I have seen my mom-in-law make this so easily. Now I learned to make it in a jiffy but in my Instant Pot. The rice cooks perfectly and I love how I don’t have to always keep an eye on rice. Just set it and forget.

Instant Pot Lentil Rice
Now coming to the recipe, it’s so simple and easy to make. Though I have made a lot of times, I never got to click pictures. So this time I made sure to take the picture before digging into it. Just add all the ingredients into the Instant Pot, and that’s it. Done. How easy, right? Just have to soak rice and dal at least 30 minutes before. It helps lentils to cook well. In my husband’s aunt’s home, they add some grated coconut too. It enhances the taste. However, I give here without coconut. I hope you try this and give me your valuable feedback.

A short video to make Lentil Rice in Instant Pot
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How to make Arisi parupu sadam in Instant pot
Switch on Instant Pot. Add oil and ghee, when hot add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add curry leaves, shallots, and garlic. Saute for a few minutes. Add tomato and saute till mushy. Then add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and asafoetida. Saute till the raw smell goes. Add soaked rice and dal. Add the required salt. Close the lid and press the rice button. When done, let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and serve warm with ghee and potato fry or Egg Bhurji.

More rice recipe for you
Stepwise recipe to make Arisi parupu sadam
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup = 240ml 1 Tbsp = 15g
Rice – 1 1/2 cups (I used Ponni Parboiled)
Toor dal – 1/4 cup
Shallots – 6 or 7 peeled and sliced
Tomato – 1 big chopped
Garlic – 2 or 3 pods peeled
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 Tsp
Red chili powder – 1 Tsp
Asafoetida – A generous pinch
Curry leaves – few
Oil – 1 tsp
Ghee / Clarified butter – 1 tsp
Water – 4 cups
Salt – as required
METHOD
- Soak rice and Toor Dal for at least 30 minutes. Then drain the water and keep it aside.
- Switch on the Instant Pot and add oil. When the oil is hot, crackle mustard seeds and jeera.
- Add shallots, curry leaves, and garlic.
- Saute’ till shallots turn golden. Add tomatoes and turmeric powder, red chili powder, and asafoetida.
- Saute’ till the raw smell goes. Add soaked and drained rice, Toor Dal.
- Mix thoroughly. Add water and the required salt.
- Close the lid and click the rice button.
- When done, let the pressure release naturally. Serve warm with ghee and fryums.


Notes
Adjust spice powders as per your taste.
Wash the soaked rice thoroughly, so it doesn’t stick together.
You can use coconut oil or gingelly oil for the best taste.
Arisi parupu Sadam/ Instant pot Indian Lentil Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cup Rice I used Ponni Parboiled
- 1/4 Cup Toor dal
- 6 Shallots peeled and sliced
- 1 Tomato big chopped
- 3 Garlic pods peeled
- 1 Tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
- Asafoetida A generous pinch
- 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 Tsp Rec chili powder
- Curry leaves few
- 1 Tsp Oil
- 1 Tsp Ghee / Clarified butter
- 3 1/2 Cups Water
- Salt as required
Instructions
- Soak rice and Toor Dal for at least 30 minutes. Then drain water and keep aside.
- Switch on Instant pot and add oil. When the oil is hot, crackle mustard seeds and jeera.
- Add Shallots, Curry leaves and garlic.
- Saute’ till shallots turn golden. Add tomatoes and turmeric powder, red chili powder and Asafoetida.
- Saute’ till raw smell goes. Add soaked and drained rice, Toor Dal.
- Mix thoroughly. Add water and required salt.
- Close the lid and click the rice button.
- When done, let the pressure release naturally. Serve warm with ghee and fryums.
Video
Notes
- Adjust spice powders as per your taste.
- Wash the soaked rice thoroughly, so it doesn’t stick together.
- You can use coconut oil or Gingelly oil for the best taste.
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This is our favorite dish. We make it every week. I’m new to instant pot and wanted to check the amount of water and time to cook with IP. Followed your recipe and it was perfect.
You have a good collection of IP recipes. I’m looking forward to trying all of them.
I really appreciate your feedback. Glad you loved the recipe. Please do try other recipes too. Thank you.
I had never used my Instant Pot ultra before and despite my trepidation over operating it (we lost the owner’s manual!), this recipe turned out beautifully. Thank you, Lathi! Brilliant!
It was a bit challenging to scroll up and down on my phone, but I’m also Malayalee, so I didn’t have to rely on the steps as much as others might, nor did I have to measure carefully. I think there may be a small discrepancy between some parts of the recipe, which mention turmeric and chili powder in the numbered instructions, and the ingredients list, which do not. Again, decades in my mother’s Kerala kitchen meant I knew those spices would be required for tempering even though I didn’t see them listed.
I increased the amount of garlic and added some chopped kanthari (thai chili peppers) because I wanted spice, but other than that, I followed the ingredients listed here.
You made using the Instant Pot seamless and idiot-proof. This sadam was exactly what I needed as I deal with being sick and under quarantine. I am so grateful to you for this recipe. I ate it with my homemade Meyer lemon pickle and papad. My Tamil husband LOVED it.
Thank you so much for your feedback. Really appreciate it. Thank you for pointing the missing ingredients too. Will fix it. Again thank you.
I am always happy to find new interesting recipes to try. this one was very intriguing. first off, I wish I’d know how the original version is suppose to taste, but what came out of my pot in the end was very tasty. I had to google substitutions for several of the ingredient like Asafoetida and curry leaves, plus didn’t have the correct daal either. overall it was a good success. ty for sharing the recipe. we definitely will eat this again, maybe next time with some home made delicious naan bread.
Thank you so much for trying the recipe. Glad you liked it. Really appreciate your feedback.
This looks awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you
i heard of this kongunadu recipe but never tried this Look very delicious and i should try making it.
Thank you
I have never had lentil rice but it looks really flavourful. I also love how easy it seems to be to make!
Thank you
Wow, you guys have so many different rice “dishes”…and this is another one that looks delish!
Thank you
I love recipes for my instant pot! Your picture looks so yummy and beautiful! One question. I didn’t see any lentils in the recipe ingredients. Is this just the rice to put with lentils? Or am I confusing something LOL
Thank you so much. The toor dal is the lentil. Apologies for I haven’t given the other name.
This look delicious. One of the best and tastiest rice dish I ever seen. I love it.
Thank you
Rice is just awesome and I know this is. Looks delish.
Thank you
I love lentils and rice. I just made it for todays lunch! I am definitely gonna try this recipe 🙂 It looks delicious!
Thank you
I must try this. I simply love rice!
Thank you
This is one of my fav comfort foods 🙂
Thank you
One of my favourite dishes. Did my UG in Coimbatore and got stuck to the taste of this dish. Eating this hot rice with ghee…slurp…
Thank you