As someone who knows how to make Indian food, I can tell you that I feel fortunate.
And as someone who knows how to use an Instant Pot, I can tell you that I feel doubly so.
During this time of physical distancing, shelter-in-place, limited supermarket trips, and grocery-app delays, I’m fortunate because Indian food seems built for a crisis like the coronavirus COVID-19—especially with the capable machinery of the Instant Pot.
Why Indian Food?
Lentils, beans, rice, whole wheat flour (atta), and pearl millet are all staples of the cuisine. Apart from being healthy, filling, nutrient-dense, and incredibly affordable, these foods are pantry-ready, with a long shelf-life.
Why the Instant Pot?
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Because it’s so easy. You know this if you’ve ever made chili in an Instant Pot—or tasted chili from one. Well, many Indian dishes operate on the same premise as a good American chili: simmering beans (and sometimes meat too) in a flavorful liquid until tenderness and deliciousness is achieved. No stirring. No watching the pot. Just set-and-forget.
What Pantry Items Will I Need?
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1. Dried Beans and Legumes
They’re filling, calcium-rich, and loaded with antioxidants. Chickpeas, mung beans, kidney beans, red split lentils, and yellow split lentils are all good ones to start with for Instant Pot Indian cooking.
Masoor dal (red split lentils) are great, because they are also one of the easiest lentils to work with. They don’t require any soaking prior to cooking and have a short cooking time even if you aren’t using an Instant Pot.
2. Spices
While you use a wide variety of spices in Indian cooking, here are your basics: garam masala, turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin seeds, coriander powder, and mustard seeds. Other important spices include cardamom pods, cumin powder, and cloves.
You can buy most of these through your supermarket, South Asian grocer, or an online marketplace.
3. Canned Tomatoes
Specifically, diced tomatoes. They’re convenient because you don’t need to chop them and they’ll last longer than fresh tomatoes. Diced, canned tomatoes are more useful than other varieties, such as stewed or crushed. You can liquify diced tomatoes, but you can’t solidify crushed or stewed tomatoes.
4. Minced Ginger and Garlic
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Minced ginger and garlic or ginger-and-garlic paste can be found at most grocery stores. However, South Asian grocers also have jars of minced ginger and garlic paste combined together. This means you don’t have to do much legwork.
5. Onions and Potatoes
You usually use red onions in Indian cuisine, but this isn’t the time to be picky so, really, most onions will do. Potatoes are also a common ingredient in Indian cuisine. They’re cheap and filling substance and they last for at least a few weeks.
6. Rice
You will need rice for most Indian dishes. Specifically basmati rice. Basmati rice is different than other rice in that it’s thinner and longer than most types of rice.You can get that at your local supermarket but if you really want to stock up, head to your local Asian store and pick up a giant bag of rice that’ll last you for a while.
What Are Some Good Indian Instant Pot Recipes to Start With?
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Piping Pot Curry
This blog has simple recipes that even one unfamiliar to Indian or South Asian cuisine can follow. Three good ones to start with:
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This is excellent resource for Indian Instant Pot Meals. Some of my favorite recipes include:
Ministry of Curry
Established in 2016 by Archana, this blog contains a variety of simple-yet-authentic meat and meatless Indian Instant Pot dishes.
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