Pressure Cooker Shrimp Biryani

Compared to my last post, this pressure cooker biryani is an even faster version of this full-flavored Indian dish- very tasty but possibly a little less authentic.

There are a couple points to note in order for this dish to be a success. It is very important to use the largest shrimp available to prevent over-cooking. Secondly, when adding the water to the pot, it must be boiling in order for the rice to cook in the allotted time frame.

This recipe was adapted from The Complete Indian Instant Pot Cookbook by Chandra Ram via The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I increased the amount of garlic, omitted the curry leaves, and used a stove-top pressure cooker instead of an Instant Pot. Nice.

Yield: Serves 6

• 2 cups Basmati rice
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 Serrano chile, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (I used 4 large cloves)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon Chile powder, preferably Kashmiri (I used Ancho)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 10 fresh curry leaves, torn into pieces, optional (if available)(can substitute curry powder, to taste)
• 1 ½ cups boiling water
• 1 ½ pounds jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 or fewer per pound, see note), peeled and deveined
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more wedges for serving
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place the rice in a bowl and cover with 2 cups water. Let stand for 20 minutes, then drain and rinse.
2. Heat oil in the pot of a pressure cooker (set to the sauté function set on high in an electric pot), until oil is shimmering.
3. Add onion; cook for about 4 minutes, until softened.
4. Stir in Serrano chile, ginger, garlic, salt, chile powder, turmeric, paprika and curry leaves (if using); cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
5. Stir in boiling water; using a wooden spoon, stir, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
6. Stir in soaked rice, shrimp and tomatoes (with juice).
7. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Quick-release the pressure (on my pot, I rotate the release valve 90 degrees), stir lime juice into the rice, then cover the pressure cooker with a kitchen towel and the lid; let it sit for 5 minutes.
8. Give rice another stir, then taste and add more salt, if needed.
9. Transfer to a platter, garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Note: Make sure to use jumbo shrimp or larger for this recipe. Look for “16/20” or “U/15” on the package; this indicates how many shrimp there are per pound.

Winter Squash & Wild Mushroom Curry

This dish was quick to prepare and was absolutely fabulous. The biggest mistake I made was not doubling the recipe! I made it for an early birthday celebration dinner for my mom. We topped it off with a birthday pear snacking cake for dessert. 🙂 It was a great autumn comfort food meal.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s “Vegetarian India,” contributed by David Tanis. I increased the amount of squash, mushrooms, and garlic. Any type of wild or cultivated mushrooms could be used such as royal trumpets, oyster, shiitakes, chanterelles, or cremini mushrooms; I used a combination of cremini and shiitake mushrooms. The recipe below is double the original recipe. We ate it served over brown Basmati rice with warm naan on the side.

Yield: 8 Servings

• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 20 to 28 ounces butternut or other winter squash, peeled and diced in 1/2-inch cubes
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 4 small whole green chiles, such as jalapeño or serrano
• 6 medium shallots or 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• handful of fresh or frozen curry leaves, optional (basil leaves could also be substituted)
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• pinch of cayenne, or more, to taste
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 1/4 pounds mushrooms, preferably a mix of cultivated and wild, trimmed and sliced 1/8-inch thick
• 15 oz can coconut milk
• 4 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
• cilantro sprigs, for garnish

1. In a wide skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add squash cubes in one layer. Season with salt and pepper. (This may be done in batches.) Cook for about 2 minutes, letting cubes brown slightly, then flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Use a slotted spoon to lift squash out, and set aside.
2. Cut a lengthwise slit in each chile to open it, but leave whole. (This allows the heat and flavor of the chile to release into the sauce without making it too spicy.)
3. Add shallots to skillet, salt lightly and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
4. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry/basil leaves and let sizzle for 30 seconds, then add garlic, coriander, cayenne, turmeric and chiles. Stir well and cook for 30 seconds more.
5. Add mushrooms to pan, season with salt and toss to coat. Continue to cook, stirring, until mushrooms begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
6. Return squash cubes to pan, stir in coconut milk and bring to a simmer.
7. Lower heat to medium and simmer for another 5 minutes.
8. If mixture looks dry, thin with a little water. Taste and season with salt.
9. Just before serving, stir in lime juice. Transfer to a warm serving dish and garnish with cilantro leaves.

One Year Ago:

• Sesame-Citrus Soy Chicken with Garlicky Bok Choy

Two Years Ago:

• Balthazar’s Cream of Mushroom Soup

Three Years Ago:

• Roasted Vegetable Moussaka

Four Years Ago:

• Vegetable (& Chicken) Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust

Ottolenghi’s Baked Rice

I was drooling over every photo in a New York Times magazine article featuring a home banquet prepared by Yotam Ottolenghi. I wanted it ALL on my plate. But, preparing all of the beautiful dishes at once by myself was another story completely- too large of an undertaking. 😦 This baked rice was at the top of my list. Two heads of garlic! Fourteen shallots! Fabulous.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Sam Sifton. I used the zest of one half of a lemon and 1 teaspoon of curry masala instead of fresh or dried curry leaves. I also baked the rice in an enameled cast iron pan with a lid instead of transferring the garlic and shallots to an aluminum foil-covered baking dish before baking them with the rice. We ate it for dinner with grilled chicken thighs seasoned with a Pilpelchuma spice blend, Hummus, Tomato and Pomegranate Salad, Deconstructed Baba Ghanouj, and warm naan. Our own banquet. 🙂  Amazing.

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 heads garlic, cloves peeled
• 12-14 medium-size shallots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 2 whole sprigs fresh curry leaves, left on stem, or substitute a handful of dry curry leaves, or 1 tsp curry masala
• 2 cups white basmati rice
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 2 tablespoons boiling water for 30 minutes

1. Heat oven to 425, preferably on convection.
2. Put the oil into a sauté pan set over medium heat. (I used a large enameled cast iron pan.)
3. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic cloves, shallots and lemon zest, and cook, tossing occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the garlic is golden brown and soft.
4. Add the sprigs of curry leaves, if using, or the curry masala, and cook for approximately 2 minutes more, or until the leaves are starting to crisp.
5. Pour the garlic and shallots into a large ovenproof baking dish, approximately 10 by 14 inches, and spread the rice over the vegetables in an even layer. (If using a large pan with a lid, keep vegetables in the same pan but spread evenly along the bottom before adding the rice.)
6. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of salt over the rice, and then pour 3 1/2 cups of boiling water over the rice. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil (or a tight-fitting lid), and place in the oven for 30 minutes or so, until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is light, fluffy and starting to turn crisp around the edges.
7. Remove the dish from the oven, uncover and drizzle the saffron and its soaking water over the dish. Re-cover the dish with the aluminum foil or the lid, and allow it to sit on the stove top for another 5 or 10 minutes. Serve.

One Year Ago:

• Creamy Tomato Risotto with Crispy Garlic Crumbs

Two Years Ago:

• Turkish Bulgur & Vegetable Pilaf

Three Years Ago:

• Baked Eggs with Arugula, Yogurt, & Chili
• Indonesian Coconut Rice with Chicken & Zucchini

If You Like this you may also like:

• Ottolenghi’s Chicken with Caramelized Onions & Cinnamon-Cardamom Rice

Khatti Dal (Sour Lentils), Hyderabad-Style

I have finally completed my mission to make all four types of dal described in the New York Times article “New York Dals.” This last one, Khatti Dal, may have been the fastest to make. I did not have the toor dal (yellow lentils) called for in the recipe and substituted chana dal (split chickpeas).  Once again, I used a balloon whisk as a stand-in for an Indian mathani to puree the dal; the resulting dish had a little more texture than the others. The “sour” comes from the addition of lime juice or tamarind concentrate- nice! This recipe is from the New York Times, contributed by Mark Bittman. I doubled the recipe (to ensure plenty of leftovers), and served it over brown basmati rice with green salad (instead of sautéed spinach) and naan on the side. Delicious vegetarian comfort food- I am ready to start the rotation over again!  🙂

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: about 4 servings

• 1 cup yellow lentils (toor dal) or chana dal
• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon green chili or jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup tamarind concentrate or 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons sunflower or safflower oil, or other neutral oil such as grape seed
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (1-2 cloves)
• 12 curry leaves (optional)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine the dal, turmeric, chili, salt and 4 cups water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles aggressively and steadily and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes.
2. Add the tamarind concentrate and 1/2 cup additional water, and let bubble for another minute. Turn off the heat. Use an Indian mathani (or whisk) to purée the dal for about 1 minute; the dal should be saucy but not soupy. 
3. To make the tadka, heat the oil in a small saucepan over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and cover the pan; let the seeds pop and sizzle. When the popping begins to subside, add the garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 15 seconds. Add the curry leaves, if you’re using them. Cover the pan (to prevent spattering) and cook for about 10 seconds, allowing flavors to meld.
4. Pour the tadka into the dal; stir gently to combine. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

One Year Ago:

• Chilkewali Mung Dal (Split Green Mung Beans), Mumbai-Style
• Spinach with Garlic and Cumin

If you like this you may also like:

• Chana Dal (Split Chickpeas), New Delhi-Style
• Makhani Dal (Butter Dal), Mogul-Style
• Spinach cooked with Onions (Mughlai Saag)