Instant Pot Biryani

2023, Mar 20    

Ingredients

• 2 C basmati rice
• 1 white onion, thinly sliced
• 3/4 C cilantro, chopped (separated into 1/2 C and 1/4 C)
• 2 Tbsp ghee (separated into 1.5 tsbp and .5 tbsp)
• 2 cans chickpeas
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1/2 tsp red chili power
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp tumeric
• 2.5 C water (2 cup and 1/2 cup)
• 2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Wash and soak the white basmati rice for 20 minutes. Drain after 20 minutes and keep aside. If using brown rice, no need to soak (it pressurizes for much longer than the white rice)
2. Turn the Instant Pot to Saute mode and heat 1.5 tbsp of the ghee
3. Add onions and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions are caramelized. Take out half of the onion and reserve for garnishing the biryani.
4. Add rest of ghee, chickpeas, ginger, garlic, tumeric, red chili power, garam masala, salt, 1/2 cup water
5. Stir the chickpeas well. Spread the 1/2 cup chopped cilantro evenly over the chickpeas
6. Add drained rice and 2 cups of water. Make sure all rice is underwater.
7. Pressure cook for 6 minutes if white basmati, 25 minutes if brown basmati.
8. Natural release for 5 minutes. Then manually release remaining pressure.
9. Gently fluff the rice and serve garnished with the reserved caramelized onions and cilantro.

If the top layer of rice looks a bit undercooked, fluff the top layer of the rice with a fork and keep heat on the Instant Pot for 5 more minutes.