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Interior and Designer: Elizabeth Zuhl
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Editor: Cecily McAndrews
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Photography Elysa Weitala, 2021, food styling by Victoria Woollard.
ISBN: Print 978-1-64876-746-3 | eBook 978-1-64876-747-0
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Instant Pot is a registered trademark of Instant Brands Inc. Callisto Media and its products and services are not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with Instant Brands Inc. Our use of the Instant Pot trademark and any related names, logos, and brands is for identification purposes only, and does not imply any such endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation.
To my wonderfully funny, intelligent, and crazy familyHarsha, Dhruva, and Disha. Love you guys. This one is for you.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
THE INDIAN KITCHEN
CHAPTER 2
APPETIZERS AND SNACKS
CHAPTER 3
DAL AND BEAN DISHES
CHAPTER 4
RICE DISHES
CHAPTER 5
CURRIES AND STEWS
CHAPTER 6
HEARTY VEGETABLE AND GRAIN DISHES
CHAPTER 7
STAPLES
F ood and cooking have always been my passion. I grew up in a South Indian vegetarian household, and most of our family conversations happened around the dinner table. Often, my focus was more on the food than on the discussions. My mom is an excellent cook and an expert in planning meals to satisfy all our familys picky taste buds. I am glad that I inherited her love of cooking and sharing food.
The most vivid memory I have of my childhood kitchen is the hissing sound from the pressure cooker early in the morning. It was my alarm to wake up. I also remember the task of counting the whistles while my mom did other chores. In other words, I cannot imagine an Indian kitchen without a pressure cooker. It was used to make whole meals starting with rice, lentils, and even curries.
The pressure cooker is such an integral part of an Indian kitchen that my mom made me carry one in my luggage when I traveled to the United States as a graduate student. She wanted to make sure her daughter didnt miss her daily dose of rice and dal in the foreign land. Sure enough, over the years I collected quite a few of them in various sizes, and each one had a specific purposeone to make rice for a family of four, another to make biryani for a crowd, and so on.
Over the past few years, the Instant Pot has literally changed my kitchen. I bought into the craze early on and got myself an electric pressure cooker. In the early days, I used it exclusively to make rice dishes and to cook beans. But gradually I understood the potential of this all-in-one appliance, and now most of my cooking is done in the Instant Pot.
It is quieter and so much more versatile than the stovetop pressure cooker I grew up with. I love the wide range of programmable settings, ranging from pressure cooking to yogurt making. Also, the variety of dishes that can be made in the Instant Pot is mind-blowing. You can make a comforting weeknight meal of dal or lentils and basmati rice to go along with it or a kid-friendly pastaand steam some vegetarian dumplings while you are at it.
In this book, you will explore a wide variety of vegetarian Indian dishes that can be easily made in your Instant Pot. I include classic restaurant favorites and other scrumptious recipes that are made in Indian homes daily.
A large portion of the Indian population is vegetarian, mostly due to religious beliefs. So instead of meat, fish, and poultry, the emphasis is on fresh produce, legumes, and dairy products. Even in meat-eating households, vegetables and vegetarian dishes play an integral part in everyday meals. Moreover, meat is expensive in India, so budget constraints are also a driving force behind the adoption of a vegetarian diet.
Many of the recipes in this book can be prepared in less than 45 minutes and are made entirely in the Instant Pot. There is no stovetop or oven cooking required except for a few staple recipes.
With its spices and (to some) unfamiliar ingredients, Indian cooking can be slightly intimidating in the beginning. But as you try these recipes, you will get familiar with the different spices and ingredients and how they interact to create unique flavors. Once you learn this, you can unlock the magic of Indian cooking.
My hope is that you dive into making vegetarian Indian dishes in your Instant Pot with confidence and enjoy these recipes with your family and friends. Happy cooking!
