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Vegan French Toast | Savory Masala Toast Recipe

Here is a savory vegan French Toast with a spicy twist! This EASY and delicious Indian-style masala toast recipe uses protein-packed gram flour instead of eggs and is perfectly spiced with onions, turmeric, ginger, garlic, and chilies.

Vegan Masala French Toast served with tea
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Vegan french toast is something so many people requested that I was happy to create this recipe. A few months ago I shared my Masala French Toast recipe that SO many of you enjoyed. I got several requests for an egg-less version and so here it is! This perfectly spiced vegan variation uses a besan (gram flour) batter for earthy delicious flavors.

Besan

The secret to making a savory french toast is the Besan or gram flour.

Besan or gram flour is a fine flour made of chana dal or split brown chickpeas. It is much finer than the chickpea flour available in US grocery stores. Gluten-free, protein-packed besan is a staple in Indian cuisine. It is a key ingredient to make delicious pakoras and also desserts such as Besan Laddu.

When mixed in water, the besan batters make for a perfect base to use in place of eggs for breakfast recipes such as vegan omelets (Besan Chella) as well as in savory masala toast.

Ready in under 20 mins, this Indian-style masala french toast is also perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner. A healthier version of Indian Bread Pakora, this pan-fried savory masala toast uses very little oil and tastes incredible with all of the warm spices. Although enjoyed hot, they also taste good at room temperature and are perfect for school or work lunches.

Masala French Toast Served with ketchup & chutney

Tips

Here are some of my pro tips to make the best savory vegan french toast:

  1. Preferably use a day-old firm bread for this recipe. I like the pepperidge farmhouse hearty white bread and Arnold's rustic white bread
  2. Chop the onions and chilies as finely as you can, this way they will stick easily to the bread
  3. Whip up the spicy batter in a wide bowl in which you can easily soak the bread
  4. Use a non-stick frypan to shallow fry the toast. Alternatively, you can also use a cast iron pan for this recipe

Instructions

Here are my step-by-step instructions with photos to show you each step. All of the steps and the ingredients are in the printable recipe card just a little further down in this post.

  • Add besan to a wide mixing bowl and break any lumps (photo 1).
  • Stir in half of the water and mix well to form a smooth paste and then add the remaining water to make a flowy batter (photo 2).
  • Add salt, turmeric, green chili, ginger and garlic paste, onions, and cilantro (photo 3).
  • Mix well. Optionally you may stir in red chili flakes for extra spice (photo 4).
steps one through four showing how to make batter for vegan masala toast
  • Dip one sliced bread in the batter and press down with a spoon so the bread soaks the batter. Turn the bread over gently, press down and spoon over some batter on the top side (photo 5).
  • Heat a non-stick skillet at medium heat and spread 1 teaspoon of oil. Place the soaked bread slice on the skillet and spread over 1 to 2 spoonfuls of batter on top. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the bottom side is golden brown (photo 6).
  • Carefully flip over the bread and cook on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Add a teaspoon of oil to the sides of the bread (photo 7).
  • Take out and when both sides turn golden brown (photo 8).
steps five through eight showing how to cook masala french toast

Serving

Serve hot with ketchup, spicy green chutney, and a hot cup of Ginger Chai in the cooler months or a glass of chilled lemonade when the weather is warmer.

Storing

Although the savory french toast is best served immediately, you can also make them ahead. They will stay good at room temperature for a day or keep them refrigerated for 2 to 3 days. Reheat on a stovetop pan.

Did you enjoy this quick and easy Indian Breakfast? Here are some more vegetarian breakfast recipes to try:

  • Poha - Savory flattened rice cooked with onions, potatoes, and warming spices
  • Thalipeeth - Delicious Maharashtrian savory multigrain pancakes
  • Chutney Sandwich – Easy to make famous Bombay sandwich
  • Methi Thepla – Savory fresh fenugreek parathas with sweet potatoes 
  • Kale Parathas – Savory Indian flatbreads are the best way to eat kale
  • No Ferment Dosa – Easy & healthy twist to South Indian Dosa recipe

Recipe

Savory French Toast with chai
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Vegan French Toast

Made with gram flour, onions & warming spices like turmeric & chili, these 10 min savory french toast are a must-try for a quick meal.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 2
Calories: 155kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup besan fine gram flour
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup red onion finely diced
  • 1 green chili finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes optional
  • oil for cooking
  • 2 bread slices hearty white or other firm bread **

Instructions

  • Add besan to a wide mixing bowl. Break any lumps. Add half of the water and mix well to form a smooth paste and then add the remaining water to make a flowy batter. Add salt, turmeric, green chili, ginger and garlic paste, onions, and cilantro. Mix well. Optimally stir in red chili flakes for extra spice.
  • Dip one sliced bread in the batter and press down with a spoon so the bread soaks the batter. Turn the bread over gently, press down and spoon over some batter on the top side.
  • Heat a non-stick skillet at medium heat and spread 1 teaspoon of oil. Place the soaked bread slice on the skillet and spread over 1 to 2 spoonfuls of batter on top. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the bottom side is golden brown.
  • Carefully flip over the bread and cook on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Add a teaspoon of oil to the sides of the bread.
  • Repeat steps 2 to 4 for the second slice of bread. Enjoy hot with ketchup, green chutney or sriracha sauce, and ginger chai.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 239mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 101IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg

Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Curry | Lobia Curry

Black Eyed Peas Curry cooked in a smooth onion, tomatoes, and coconut-based sauce with earthy flavors from turmeric, cumin, and coriander. Spiced with red chili powder and aromatic garam masala, this tasty curry served with rice or warm roti this meal is on repeat in my home.

Black eyed peas curry served with roti and rice

Also known as lobia or chawli, dried black-eyed peas are a must-have in my pantry. They are inexpensive, have a long shelf life, and are available in most grocery stores. They also cook fairly fast compared to other dried beans.

In India, I grew up seeing my mom always soaking dry beans the night before. In my "The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook" I have an easier variation of this recipe, which uses dry beans and a longer cook time for the same creamy gravy sauce.

Black eyed peas curry with roti and rice

Prep

This is my mom's recipe that I grew up eating. To begin, soak black-eyed peas in water overnight or at least 4 hours. Blend together onion, tomatoes, coconut, cumin seeds, ginger, and garlic to make a smooth paste which is the base masala for this recipe (photos 1 - 3). Photo 4 shows soaked peas and other spices for this recipe.

Prep for black eyed peas curry

Once the spice paste is ready, this recipe is easy to cook in Instant Pot. You can also cook white rice at the same time as the Pot in Pot cooking, so you have the whole meal ready in no time! Let me show you detailed step by step photos here:

Process

Step1: Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat oil. To the hot oil, add mustard seeds and allow them to pop, this may take 2 to 3 mins. Add asafetida and turmeric. Stir in the onion and tomato masala paste and cook for a minute stirring frequently. Add red chili powder, cumin and coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix well. Put a glass lid on and cook for 3-4 mins photos (5 - 8).

sautéing spice and masala

Step 2: Open the glass lid and mix everything, making sure no spices are stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add jaggery, black-eyed peas, and water. Stir as you remove any stuck masala from the bottom of the pot. Place the tall trivet inside the pot. Put the rice bowl on top of the trivet. Close the Instant Pot lid with pressure valve to sealing. Cook on Pressure Cook/ Manual(Hi) for 8 minutes photos (9 - 12).

cooking black eyed peas with rice in the instant pot

Step 3: Allow 10 mins or full Natural Pressure Release. Carefully remove the rice container and the trivet using heat-resistant mitts. Stir the curry and garnish with chopped cilantro photos (13 - 14).

steamed rice and curried black eyed peas in the Instant Pot

Serving

On busy weeknights we enjoy the black-eyed peas curry with the pot in pot steamed rice. Here are few other ideas to serve this delicious Indian curry. You can either make thin phulka rotis or layered whole wheat parathas to scoop the curried black-eyed peas. You can also switch up steamed white rice with jeera rice or steamed brown rice. Add a side of beet raita to perfectly round up this meal.

Did you enjoy this homestyle Indian curry? Here are some more vegetarian curries for you to try:

Check out this collection of 20 Indian Lentil and Bean recipes using Instant Pot.

★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

black eyed peas curry with rice
Print Recipe
4.65 from 34 votes

Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Curry with Rice

Black Eyed Peas Curry - Onion, tomatoes and coconut based curry spiced with turmeric, red chili powder and garam masala.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 6
Calories: 217kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Equipment

Ingredients

Pot in pot Rice (optional)

Instructions

  • Soak black eyed peas in 3 cups of water overnight or 6 hours. Drain all the water and keep it aside.
  • Rinse and drain the rice. Add water and salt and keep aside.
  • Blend cumin seeds, coconut, onion, tomato, ginger and garlic to make a smooth paste.
  • Turn the Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode and heat oil. Add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Add asafetida and turmeric. Add the onion and tomato paste and cook for a minute stirring frequently.
  • Add red chili powder, cumin and coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well. Put a glass lid on and cook for 3-4 mins.
  • Open the glass lid and mix everything once more. Making sure no spices are stuck to the bottom of the pot.
  • Add jaggery, black eyed peas and water. Give a quick stir.
  • Put a tall trivet in the pot. Put the rice container on top of the trivet.
  • Close the Instant Pot lid with pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 8 minutes. Open after 10 mins or allow full natural pressure release.
  • Remove the rice container. Remove the trivet. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Enjoy hot!

Video

Notes

If you do not have time to soak the beans, simply increase the pressure cook time to 20 mins and allow natural pressure release. With the increased cook time, you can make pot in pot brown rice instead of white rice

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1201mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 620IU | Vitamin C: 6.5mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg

♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

Vegetable Thai Green Curry | Instant Pot & Stove Top recipe

Vegetable Thai Green Curry is a fragrant dish with a delightful balance of sweet and spicy flavors, packed with the goodness of crisp, colorful vegetables and creamy coconut milk. This flavor-bursting, gluten-free vegan meal is super simple to make. The best part is that it is ready in under 20 minutes and makes for a healthy weeknight meal! 

Thai Green curry in white bowl

Native to Thailand in Far East Asia, this colorful dish rich in vegetables, is often served with steamed jasmine rice. The distinctive flavors of Veg Thai Green Curry come from the spicy Thai green curry paste and the fresh Thai basil leaves. These two key ingredients blend in beautifully with the mildly sweet coconut milk to produce one of the most epic dishes of all time. 

Thai Green Curry served with Rice

We absolutely love two things - food and travel! My family enjoys Thai food as it is so similar to warm and comforting Indian food. Especially when we travel within the US, we lookout for local family-run Thai restaurants. On most occasions, we chance upon a quaint little Thai restaurant, where the owners pour their love along with their family secret spices into wondrous food that they bring to the table, piping hot! 

As much as we love eating at Thai restaurants, I often make Thai curries at home. From the Thai red curry, Instant Pot Thai Massaman curry to the Instant Pot coconut curry noodle soup, we love the delicious Thai flavors.

Thai Green curry served with rice

I often cook my Thai food with ready-made curry pastes. They have all of the key ingredients such as galangal (Thai ginger), lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai chilies, making it convenient and easy to bring home the favorite Thai flavors. 

My personal favorite brand of readymade curry paste is the Maesri brand curry paste. It does not contain fish products, making it good for vegan diets. It is easily available in the local Asian Grocery stores as well as on Amazon.

I love that small 4 oz can has all the authentic ingredients that otherwise can be hard to find individually. In addition to lending authentic flavors to the curry, it also cuts down on the overall cooking time. The other brands that make good curry pastes are Thai Kitchen and Mae Ploy.

The best part of this recipe is all the different vegetables you can add to it. Starting from eggplant to zucchini that almost melts into the curry to the crunchy bites of beans and peppers, this dish has the perfect balance of flavor and texture.

Here are my favorite veggies to add to Thai Green Curry

  • Eggplant - Traditionally small green Thai eggplant is added to this curry although they can be hard to find. So go ahead and use Japanese eggplant, small Italian eggplant, graffiti eggplant, or even Indian baby eggplant. The eggplant simply melts in this curry giving a creamy texture and rich taste
  • Zucchini - Available year-round in most grocery stores, this mild vegetable simply melds in the flavors and is a great way to add more veggies to your diet
  • Mushrooms - Cremini mushrooms or white button mushrooms, these do not overcook in the Instant Pot and add a meaty satisfying texture to the curry
  • Snap Peas - These crispy, crunchy beans with tender peas inside them add a sweet flavor, make sure to add them to the hot curry just before serving. You can also add green beans cut into 1-inch pieces or small broccoli florets when snap peas are not in season
  • Pepper - I like to add an orange pepper to compliment the green color of this curry, but any color pepper can be added as it adds a nice sweet flavor and crunchy texture to the curry
Ingredients for Thai Green curry

Tips

Having cooked this curry on the stovetop for years and now in the Instant Pot, here are my tips for you:

  1. Make sure to sauté the curry paste in hot oil, as it really helps to enhance the flavors of the final dish
  2. Use as many colored vegetables as you can. This will make your curry look really beautiful and appealing
  3. Adding some of the veggies after pressure cooking retains the crunch in those vegetables for a more satisfying bite 
  4. Use fresh Thai basil leaves for added authentic flavor 
  5. Feel free to use diluted coconut cream in place of coconut milk

Process

Here is the EASY Instant Pot Thai green curry recipe loaded with vegetables with step-by-step photos. Note: refer to the recipe card for the detailed Instant Pot and stovetop recipe.

1: Sauté green curry paste and pressure cook the hardy vegetables in coconut milk (photos 1 - 4).

steps one through four of making Thai Green curry in the instant pot

2: Stir in the crunchy veggies, garnish and enjoy (photos 5 - 8).

steps five through eight of making Thai Green curry in the instant pot

Serving

Thai Green curry tastes best when it is served piping hot over a bed of plump jasmine rice. However, I have also served it with steamed basmati rice or brown rice and it tastes equally great with those options too. 

Thai Green curry served with rice

Storing

Thai curry is best enjoyed fresh but can be easily made ahead and refrigerated. Simply heat it well before eating and it tastes just as good. The curry can stay good in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

Variations

  • Add baked tofu for added proteins 
  • If you like to add proteins such as chicken or shrimp, sauté the chicken (cut into thin 1-inch strips) or shrimp along with the curry paste
  • For a more soupy curry add ½ cup of vegetable broth along with the coconut milk

Do you enjoy warming curry dishes? You will love these Indian curries that are on repeat in our kitchen:

Here is my quick and delicious recipe for Instant Pot Thai Green Curry. I have also included my stovetop recipe in the notes so you don’t miss out on this must-try homemade Thai green curry!

Thai green curry served in 2 bowls
Print Recipe
4.91 from 22 votes

Thai Green Curry with Vegetables

Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: dinner, Entree, Lunch
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 4
Calories: 360kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 large yellow onion sliced
  • 1 medium zucchini cut half lengthwise and cut into ½ inch slices, about 1.5 cups
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms quartered, about 1.5 cups
  • 1½ cups thai eggplant cut into 1.5 inch cubes, graffiti or japanese eggplant
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup snap peas
  • 1 small orange pepper 1 cup cut into 2 inch long slices
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
  • ½ fresh lime juiced
  • ¼ cup cilantro
  • ¼ cup thai basil

Instructions

  • Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and heat oil. Add green curry paste and saute for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in coconut milk. Add onion, zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant and salt. Stir well.
  • Close the Instant Pot lid with the pressure valve to sealing and adjust the pressure cook time to 1 minute on low pressure. If you do not have the low pressure option, you can set the time to zero minutes.
  • Allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release and then release the remaining pressure manually. Stir in the snap peas and pepper. Add brown sugar, soy sauce and lime juice. Mix well and taste for the spice & salt. Add more curry paste and salt if needed.
  • Cook on sauté mode until the curry comes to a gentle boil. Press cancel, garnish with cilantro & basil. Allow to cook for 5 mins before serving as the curry thickens a bit. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Video

Notes

Tips:
  • Add baked tofu for added proteins 
  • If you like to add proteins such as chicken or shrimp, sauté the chicken (cut into thin 1-inch strips) or shrimp along with the curry paste
  • For a more soupy curry add ½ cup of vegetable broth along with the coconut milk
Stove Top Recipe:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok. Add green curry paste and saute for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in coconut milk and ½ cup of water. Add onion, zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, and salt. Stir well.
2. Cook covered on medium heat for 10 minutes or until all the veggies are cooked soft. 
3. Stir in the snap peas and pepper. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, and lime juice. Mix well and taste for the spice & salt. Add more curry paste and salt if needed. Cook uncovered on medium heat until the curry comes to a gentle boil. Garnish with cilantro & basil. Serve with steamed rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Sodium: 862mg | Potassium: 1010mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 2644IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 3mg

Quinoa Idli

Protein-packed pillowy soft steamed idlis with quinoa and lentils! With a subtle nutty and sweet taste, these idlis have a light ivory color from the quinoa. Serve with coconut chutney or piping hot sambar, this healthy meal is sure to be on your repeat menu.

quinoa idli served with coconut chutney
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Last month I shared my no ferment quinoa dosa recipe and I am thrilled to see all the positive feedback from you guys. It is gratifying to see so many of you trying out the recipe and replacing the traditional dosa recipe with my instant high protein recipe.

Many of you asked if the same batter can be used to make idli's, and my answer was no because to make soft and airy idli's you need to ferment the batter. So here I am with the best quinoa idli recipe!

stack of idli

Ingredients

I am super excited to share my tried and tested idli recipe that uses quinoa instead of rice. Here are the 4 ingredients to make a great plant-based high protein meal that is vegan and gluten-free:

  • Organic white Quinoa – A great sub for rice that is high in protein and fiber
  • Poha – Flattened rice that makes fluffy soft idli
  • Urad Dal – Adds the traditional earthy dosa taste with creamy texture and proteins
  • Fenugreek Seeds - Optional, but recommended as "methi dana" helps with the fermentation process in addition to its health benefits.
quinoa, lentils and poha in a cup

Variations 

  • To make vegan quinoa idli simply use neutral oil instead of ghee to grease the idli mold
  • You can also use this batter to make a thick pancake-like uttapam. Simple stir in finely chopped onions, green chili, cilantro, etc to the batter and make the savory protein-packed pancakes
Quinoa idli with chutney

Tips

  • Use Organic white/ivory quinoa and make sure to massage and rinse quinoa at least 2 to 3 times 
  • Make sure the idli batter is not too think or too thick. It's almost like pancake batter.
  • Make sure to grease the idli mold well with ghee or oil so that the idli can be removed easily
  • To make fluffy and airy idli, it's important to cook it with pressure release valve to venting.
  • Have water heating in the Instant Pot when you place the idli stand and start cooking.
Idli served with chutney

Process

Here is my recipe with step by step photos to show how to make quinoa idli: 

Step 1 – Soaking & blending

Rinse the quinoa, poha, lentils & fenugreek seeds. Drain out the water and then soak with 3 cups of water for 6 to 8 hours. Drain out all the water, add to the blender, add salt, water and blend until smooth (photos 1 - 4).

photos showing how to make idli batter

Step 2: Fermenting

Add the batter to the Instant Pot insert. Set the Instant Pot to Yogurt(normal mode) for 8 hours. Place a non-locking lid on the Instant Pot as you do not need any pressure to be built. Depending on the temperature in your kitchen you may need to ferment it anywhere between 8 to 12 hours (photos 5-6).

Note: If you do not have an Instant Pot, simple place the batter container in a warm place or inside the oven with lights on.

fermenting idli batter

Step 3: Steaming

Evenly spread 2 to 3 drops of ghee or oil to the idli mold plates and grease it well. Then pour the batter in each section, about ¼ cup to ⅓ cup depending on the size of your idli plate. Stack the plates and get the idli stand ready. Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert and heat it on sauté mode. Once the water gets hot and starts to steam, place the idli stand inside the Instant Pot. Close the lid with the pressure valve to venting. Press the steam option and set an EXTERNAL timer for 15 minutes. NOTE: The Instant Pot timer does not work with the pressure release valve to venting so make sure to set an external timer (photos 7 - 10).

setting idli stand with idli batter

Step 4: Removing

Once the timer goes off, press Cancel on the instant pot and allow a 10-minute natural pressure release. Then open the lid and carefully take out the Idli stand. Separate each plate and allow to cool down for 5 mins. Then run a butter knife carefully from under each idli and remove the idlis (photos 11 - 14).

cooked quinoa idli

Serving

Enjoy hot idli with coconut chutney or cilantro chutney and sambar. I have a super easy and delicious sambar recipe in The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook. To make a perfect meal serve with a sweet and tangy mango lassi, cooling ginger lemonade, or refreshing watermelon juice!

quinoa idli with coconut chutney

Storing

  • Fermented Idli batter can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days
  • Leftover cooked idlis can also be refrigerated for up to 5 days. To reheat either microwave for a short amount of time covered with a wet paper towel. Or re-steam in the Instant Pot for 5 minutes in an oven-safe container

Love South Indian Food? Here are some vegetarian recipes to try:

Recipe

quinoa idli served with coconut chutney
Print Recipe
4.89 from 18 votes

quinoa Idli

Soft and fluffy idli with a healthy high-protein makeover from organic quinoa. Perfect little pillows for scooping up coconut chutney or soaking up in a yummy, steamy bowl of sambar, makes 16 idlis
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Soaking + Fermenting16 hrs
Total Time16 hrs 45 mins
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4
Calories: 294kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Rinse the quinoa 2 to 3 times. Add poha & lentils and rinse again. Drain out the water and then soak with 3 cups of water for 6 to 8 hours.
  • Drain out all the water and add to a blender and blend with salt & water. The idli batter consistency will be like pancake batter.
  • Add the idli batter to the Instant Pot insert. Set the Instant Pot to Yogurt(normal mode) for 8 hours. Place a non-locking lid on the Instant Pot as you do not need any pressure to be built. Depending on the temperature in your kitchen you may need to ferment it anywhere between 8 to 12 hours. If you do not have an Instant Pot, simply place the batter container in a warm place or inside the oven with lights on.
  • Evenly spread 2 to 3 drops of ghee or oil to the idli mold plates and grease it well. Then pour the batter in each section, about ¼ cup to ⅓ cup depending on the size of your idli plate. Stack the plates and get the idli stand ready. Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert and heat it on sauté mode. Once the water gets hot and starts to steam, place the idli stand inside the Instant Pot. Close the lid with the pressure valve to venting. Press the steam option and set an EXTERNAL timer for 15 minutes. NOTE: The Instant Pot timer does not work with the pressure release valve to venting so make sure to set an external timer.
  • Once the timer goes off, press the Cancel button on the Instant Pot and allow a 10-minute natural pressure release. Then open the lid and carefully take out the Idli stand. Separate each plate and allow to cool down for 5 mins. Then run a butter knife carefully from under each idli and remove the idlis.
  • Enjoy hot with some coconut chutney or cilantro chutney and sambar. I have a super easy and delicious sambar recipe in The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook.

Video

Notes

  • To make vegan quinoa idli simply use neutral oil instead of ghee to grease the idli mold
  • Make sure to grease the idli mold well with ghee or oil so that the idli can be removed easily
  • To make fluffy and airy idli, it's important to cook it with the pressure release valve to venting
  • Have water heating in the Instant Pot when you place the idli stand and start cooking
  • You can also use this batter to make thick pancake-like uttapam. Simple stir in finely chopped onions, green chili, cilantro, etc to the batter and make the savory protein-packed pancakes

Nutrition

Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 878mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 4mg

♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

Energizing Green Smoothie

My absolute favorite immune-boosting, energizing green smoothie made with just 5 ingredients. Naturally sweetened with fresh apples and oranges this detox smoothie has superfoods spinach, hemp hearts, anti-inflammatory ginger.

green smoothie in a glass with lemon wedge

With all the immune-boosting ingredients, this vegan green smoothie is packed with fiber and also has a delicious taste. It has a bite to it from the apple peels and fibers from oranges that also makes it satisfying. The slight zing of ginger is just perfect and the shelled hemp seeds and spinach simply meld in it.

Ingredients

green smoothie ingredients
  1. Apple - Rich in phytonutrients, Fuji, Gala, or Red delicious apples, add them with the peel on for extra nutrition and fiber
  2. Orange - Packed with Vitamin C, Naval oranges, simply cut the peel off and add for fresh citrusy aromas
  3. Ginger - Anti-inflammatory and adds a touch of sharp flavors
  4. Spinach - A big handful of baby spinach
  5. Hemp Hearts - Shelled hemp seeds are a good source of proteins, Omegas 3 & 6 and add nutty flavors

Tips

  • Add a scoop of vegan vanilla protein powder to make this smoothie filling and enjoy it as a light meal
  • Add pitted dates for a hint of sweetness, especially if the fruits are not sweet
  • Water or Coconut water can be replaced with Oat milk for added proteins, calcium, and vitamin-D

How to make Detox Smoothie

  1. Cut and core an apple. Remove the orange skin, and cut it into pieces. Roughly chop the ginger.
  2. In a blender jar pour chilled water or coconut water (ice cubes also can be added instead of water). Add shelled hemp hearts, chopped apple, orange, ginger, and spinach.
  3. Blend until smooth. Enjoy!
steps one through four of making green smoothie

I love this homemade detox smoothie for morning breakfast or also as lunch on the go on busy days. It is also my go-to smoothie during especially during the holiday madness so I can stay healthy and energetic to keep up with all the social events and holiday shopping!

detox green smoothie in a cup

Did you enjoy this recipe? Also try this soothing and immune-boosting, Lemon Ginger Tea with Honey

More of my favorite healthy homemade drinks

★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

Energizing green smoothie
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5 from 5 votes

Energizing green smoothie

Naturally sweetened green smoothie with fresh apples and oranges, packed with superfoods spinach and hemp seeds and made in nutrient rich hydrating coconut water.
Prep Time5 mins
Total Time5 mins
Course: Energy drink, Smoothie
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1
Calories: 360kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 153mg | Potassium: 894mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 3415IU | Vitamin C: 102.5mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 5.7mg

♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking

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Instant Pot Chickpea Biryani

Chickpea Biryani is a wholesome vegetarian Biryani with plump chickpeas cooked in caramelized onions and spices over fragrant basmati rice. Paired with cooling cucumber raita and a squeeze of fresh lime, this biryani makes a hearty meal.

chickpea biryani served with cucumber raita
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Inspired by one of my favorite bloggers, Annika, this satisfying chickpea biryani with warm spices is my version cooked in the Instant Pot. Annika shares amazing family recipes on her blog with gorgeous photography and captivating stories. She uses a lot of seasonal ingredients to make healthy and delicious foods. Do check out her beautiful blog!

I love that the recipe uses very few spices that are easy to find: fresh ginger and garlic, turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, and garam masala.

ingredients for chickpea biryani

Over the last few months, this Chickpea Biryani recipe has evolved to use my favorite kitchen appliance the Instant Pot. Here is an easy recipe that is versatile and can be adapted to suit your taste preference. Serve it with pickles, papad, diced red onions, fresh onions, and cooling raita.

two bowls of chickpea biryani and raita on the side

Variations

  1. Add a teaspoon of black peppercorn for additional spice.
  2. Add 1 to 2 diced tomatoes along with the chickpeas for a tangy flavor.
  3. Substitute ghee with oil for a Vegan Chickpea Biryani.
  4. If using canned chickpeas, rinse and drain the chickpeas and skip the initial pressure cooking step. Add only ½ cup of water along with the chickpeas. Layer over soaked white rice and pressure cook for 6 minutes.
  5. To make chickpea biryani with brown rice, simply layer rinsed brown rice over the soaked and uncooked chickpeas. Increase the pressure cook time to 25 minutes. Same water proportions will work. Also, no need to soak the brown rice since 25 minutes is a good time for brown rice to cook.

Step by step recipe

  • Turn the Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode and heat 2 tablespoons of ghee. Add onions and saute for 10 mins, stirring frequently until the onions are caramelized. Take out half of the onion and reserve for garnishing the biryani (photos 1 - 2).
caramalizing onions
  • Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes. Drain after 20 mins and keep aside (photos 3 - 4).
steps showing how to soak and drain rice

  • Add remaining ghee to the IP with half of the caramelized onions already in the pot. Add drained chickpeas, ginger, garlic, chilies, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, 1 teaspoon salt and 1-½ cup of water. Mix well (photos 5 - 6).
steps showingchickpeas and spices added Instant Pot

  • Close the Instant pot and turn pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 20 minutes followed by quick release. Stir the chickpeas well. Spread the chopped mint and cilantro evenly over the chickpeas. Add drained rice, remaining salt and 2 cups of water. Make sure all the rice is under the water (photos 7 - 10).

  • Close the Instant Pot lid with pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 6 mins. Allow 5 mins natural pressure release. Open the Instant Pot and garnish with the reserved caramelized onions and cilantro.
chickpea biryani garnished with caramelized onions

  • Gently fluff the rice. Serve with cucumber raita and lime wedges.

Serving

Biryani is traditionally served with a cooling raita. Here is my recipe for Cucumber Raita:

  1. Peel 2 Persian cucumbers. Grate or finely dice.
  2. Whisk 1 cup of plain yogurt in a small bowl and a sprinkle of salt.
  3. Mix cucumbers with yogurt and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Note - Check out this gorgeous beetroot raita recipe that also pairs up well with chickpea biryani.

More Biryani Recipes:

★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

Recipe

two bowls of chickpea biryani and raita on the side
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4.74 from 49 votes

Instant Pot Chickpea Biryani

An easy and wholesome vegetarian Biryani with plump chickpeas cooked in caramelized onions and spices over fragrant basmati rice
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 5
Calories: 519kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry chickpeas soaked overnight in warm water (will be 2 cups soaked)
  • 3 tablespoons ghee divided
  • 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated
  • 1 teaspoon garlic grated
  • 2 green chillies slit into half (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or any mild red chili powder
  • 1½ cups water to pressure cook chickpeas
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala

Rice

Instructions

  • Turn the Instant Pot to Saute mode and heat half of the ghee.
  • Add onions and saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions are caramelized. Take out half of the onion and reserve for garnishing the biryani.
  • Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes. Drain after 20 minutes and keep aside.
  • Add remaining ghee to the Instant Pot with half of the caramelized onions already in the pot. Add drained chickpeas, ginger, garlic, chilies, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, salt, and water. Mix well.
  • Close the Instant pot and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 20 minutes followed by a quick release.
  • Stir the chickpeas well. Spread the chopped mint and cilantro evenly over the chickpeas. Add drained rice, salt, and water. Make sure all the rice is under the water. Close the Instant Pot lid with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 6 mins. Allow 5 mins natural pressure release.
  • Open the Instant Pot and garnish with the reserved caramelized onions and cilantro. Gently fluff the rice. 
  • Serve with cucumber raita and lime wedges.

Video

Notes

If the top layer of rice looks a bit undercooked, simply fluff the top layer of the rice with a fork and keep the Instant Pot for 5 more minutes. 
Use oil instead of ghee to make the Biryani vegan. 
To make simple cucumber raita, mix 2 peeled and diced Persian cucumbers with 1 cup of plain yogurt and a sprinkle of salt. Garnish with chopped cilantro. 

Variations for Chickpea Biryani:

  1. Add a teaspoon of black peppercorn for additional spice.
  2. Add 1 to 2 diced tomatoes along with the chickpeas for a tangy flavor.
  3. Substitute ghee with oil for a Vegan Chickpea Biryani.
  4. If using canned chickpeas, rinse and drain the chickpeas and skip the initial pressure cooking step. Add only ½ cup of water along with the chickpeas. Layer over soaked white rice and pressure cook for 6 minutes.
  5. To make chickpea biryani with brown rice, simply layer rinsed brown rice over the soaked and uncooked chickpeas. Increase the pressure cook time to 25 minutes. Same water proportions will work. Also, no need to soak the brown rice since 25 minutes is a good time for brown rice to cook.

Nutrition

Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 1487mg | Potassium: 528mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 445IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 4mg

♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in March 2018, but was updated in May 2019 with step by step recipe as well as new photos and tips.

Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole - A creamy, lightly sweetened sweet potato side dish with the warm aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice is a must-have side dish for holiday dinners!

sweet potato casserole served in white bowl and a spoon in it

My cousin has been hosting Thanksgiving for years now. She has the most amazing and traditional thanksgiving menu. My favorite is her mushroom pie and cranberry sauce. We enjoy Turkey with delicious stuffing and there is always a yummy salad or two. My contribution to our dinner is this sweet potato casserole that we call yummy yams!

...

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Dudhi Muthiya | Vegan Steamed Dumplings

Dudhi Muthiya is a Gujarati delicacy made with grated bottle gourd, fresh fenugreek leaves spiced with green chilies, ginger, and turmeric. These irresistible savory bites have a perfect balance of spicy, tangy, and sweet flavors with golden pan-fried crunchy textures. Served with a hot cup of chai, Muthiya makes a delicious snack, breakfast, or side dish.

Muthiya served with condiments and tea

Muthia

The name "Muthia or Muthiya" comes from the way this dish is made, which is by gripping the dough in your hand and molding it to make small oval dumplings. Sometimes the dough is also shaped into bigger cylindrical croquettes which are steamed and then sliced.

There are many variations of Muthiya that use an assortment of veggies and flours. My favorite is with fresh dudhi (also known as Lauki, bottle gourd, or calabash). It is a delicately flavored, low-calorie vegetable that is a good source of vitamin C. With its mild taste it is also used to make delicious desserts like Dudhi Halwa or Dudhi Basundi.

I like to add fresh(or frozen) methi/fenugreek leaves to this easy dudhi muthiya recipe. It adds complimenting flavors and aroma to make this vegan dish even more nutritious.

tempering for dudhi muthia

Ingredients

In addition to the veggies, muthia uses a mix of flours - whole wheat, gram flour, and sooji. Fresh ginger and green chilies add a perfect spice, while turmeric adds a light golden color to the dish. To make the muthia light, mix in baking soda just before pouring the mixture into the bowl to be steamed.

dudhi muthiya ingredients

Instant Pot Recipe

Traditionally steamed in a stovetop steamer or pressure cooker, muthia is a perfect recipe for Instant Pot. The traditional recipe does not use water. It instead uses the water from the vegetables by massaging it gently to form the dough and the rolls/dumplings.

Instead of making the rolls by hand, I have an easy shortcut to this recipe. I add a little bit of water to the dough to make the cake-like batter and then pour it into greased bowls to steam. Once cooked, cut them into smaller squares and pan-fry.

dudhi muthia in a wok with spices on the side

Similar to my rava dhokla and kothimbir vadi, I use Instant Pot to steam Muthiya. Simply remember to keep the Pressure release knob to venting instead of sealing.  I divide the dough into 2 bowls, to make thinner 1-inch muthiya. You can also steam in one deep 4 to 5-inch stainless steel bowl for thicker muthiya. If steaming in one bowl, increase the cooking time to 15 minutes.

Muthiya in a nonstick pan

Variations

  • Substitute Dudhi with grated cabbage or zucchini
  • Fresh/frozen fenugreek leaves can be substituted with spinach
  • Sooji can be substituted with rice flour
Muthiya served with chutneys and tea

Tips

  • Depending on the exact ingredients used, you may need more or less water to make this dough. Make sure that the  consistency of the batter is similar to thick cake batter 
  • You can also steam the whole dough in one stainless steel bowl for thicker muthiya. If steaming in one bowl, increase the cooking time to 15 minutes 
  • Steamed muthiyas can be sliced and frozen. To defrost simply keep them in the refrigerator for few hours. After thawing temper them according to the recipe
  • Steamed and sliced muthiyas are also added to the traditional Gujarati Undhiyu which is a delicious vegetable casserole dish
dudhi muthiya with chai

Served with a hot cup of ginger chai or sweet and tangy raw mango drink these Muthiya are simply delish.

Did you enjoy the flavors of this delicious muthia? Check out some more healthy breakfast and snack recipes:

★ Have you tried this delicious muthiya recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

dudhi muthia
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3.95 from 34 votes

Dudhi Muthia {Steamed dumplings} - Instant Pot

A Gujarati delicacy made with grated bottle gourd, fresh fenugreek leaves spiced with green chilies, ginger and turmeric makes a healthy snack or breakfast.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Resting Time10 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 6
Calories: 275kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Equipment

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • ¾ cup Wheat Flour
  • ¾ cup besan gram flour
  • ¼ cup sooji rava or semolina
  • 1 cup dudhi peeled and grated
  • 1 cup fenugreek leaves chopped, fresh or frozen
  • ½ cup cilantro chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated
  • 1 teaspoon hot green chili minced
  • 2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • ½ cup water or as needed
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda or ½ teaspoon fruit salt

Tempering Ingredients

Optional Garnish

  • ½ cup cilantro chopped
  • 2 tablespoon coconut grated, fresh or frozen

Instructions

  • Grease two 7-½ inch stainless steel bowls with cooking oil or spray.
  • Add 1 ½ cups water to the Instant Pot insert. Set on Sauté mode so the water starts to heat. Heating up the water before placing the batter in the Instant Pot will result in light muthia. Make sure to do this about 5 minutes before you are ready place the batter in the Instant Pot for steaming. Boiling it for too long may cause a lot if water to evaporate.
  • Mix all the main ingredients except baking soda in medium bowl. Once the water in the Instant Pot gets hot, add the baking soda to the batter and mix well. Quickly pour the batter in the two greased bowls. Place the Instant Pot trivet in the pot and stack the bowls on trivet. Note: It is important to start the steaming process within couple of minutes for the baking soda to work. Close Instant Pot lid with pressure valve to Venting.
  • Set Instant Pot to Steam mode, with an external timer for 12 mins. Note: Timer function does not work with Steam/Venting, so an external timer is needed.
  • Once the timer goes off, Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot after 5 minutes.
  • Carefuly take out the bowls. Run a knife around the edges so the muthia can be released on a plate. Allow the muthia to cool for another 5 minutes and the cut into small squares.
  • Muthia can be enjoyed steamed or enjoyed crispy by pan frying. To pan fry, Heat oil in a medium non-stick pan. Add mustard seeds and allow them to pop. Lower the heat and add cumin seeds, sesame seeds, curry leaves and green chilies. Cook for another minute as the curry leaves start to crisp up. Add the cut muthia pieces to the tempering and mixing gently to coat the tempering evenly on the muthia. Cook until the muthia turn golden on the sides. Garnish with grated coconut and cilantro.

Notes

To check if they are done insert a clean knife. If it comes out clean that means it is done. If they stick to the knife, simply put the bowls back in the Instant Pot and steam for another 2 minutes.
Substitute 1 cup of Dudhi with 1 cup grated cabbage or zucchini
Substitute 1 cup of fresh/frozen fenugreek leaves with spinach.
Depending on the exact ingredients used, you may need more or less water to make this dough. Make sure that the consistency of the batter is similar to thick cake batter. 
You can also steam the whole dough in one stainless steel bowl for thicker muthia. If steaming in one bowl, increase the cooking time to 15 minutes. 
Steamed muthias can be sliced and frozen. To defrost simply keep them in the refrigerator for few hours. After thawing temper them according to the recipe. 
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 891mg | Potassium: 216mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 275IU | Vitamin C: 55.6mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2.4mg

♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this muthiya recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking

♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

Kothimbir Vadi

Kothimbir Vadi is an Indian delicacy, made with fresh cilantro and chickpea flour that is spiced with chili, garlic, and ground turmeric.

kothimbir vadi in a white plate with chutney

Popular in the state of Maharashtra, these gluten-free and vegan spicy cilantro cakes can be enjoyed as a snack, breakfast, or as a side dish in an authentic Thali.

Kothimbir Vadi in a black bowl

With summer around the corner, I am looking forward to visiting local farmers' markets with fresh local produce, cheeses, and bread. I love buying large bunches of lush green herbs for chutneys, pesto, and healthy snacks like these spicy cilantro cakes.

ingredients for Kothimbir Vadi

Made with a few ingredients, these cakes are packed with flavors and are very healthy. This recipe uses the Instant Pot to steam the batter in a stainless steel bowl and is a slight variation to the original kothimbir vadi which I have posted earlier. This modified version is lighter in texture and easier with the pour-and-done technique.

Step by Step Recipe for Kothimbir Vadi

  • Grease 7-½ inch stainless steel bowl with cooking oil or spray.
  • Add 1 ½ cups water to the Instant Pot insert. Set on Sauté mode so the water starts to heat. Heating up the water before placing the batter in the Instant Pot will result in light cakes. Make sure to do this about 5 minutes before you are ready to place the batter in the Instant Pot for steaming. Boiling it for too long may cause a lot of water to evaporate.
  • Add cilantro,  oil, rice flour, garlic, green chilies, turmeric, besan, salt, and water to a medium bowl. Mix well. Add baking soda to the batter and mix well. Quickly pour the batter into the greased bowl. Place the bowl on the instant pot trivet and carefully place the trivet inside the Instant Pot. Note: It is important to start the steaming process within a couple of minutes for the baking soda to work (photos 1 - 4).
steps showing making of kothimbir vadi
  • Close Instant Pot lid with pressure valve to venting. Set Instant Pot to Steam mode, with an external timer for 12 mins. Note: The timer function does not work with Steam/Venting, so an external timer is needed. Once the timer goes off, Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot after 5 minutes. Carefully take out the bowl using heat-resistant mitts.
batter for kothimbir vadi in a bowl
  • Cut into small square pieces. Pan fry with remaining oil and sesame seeds on medium heat, cooking each side for about a minute or until the sides start to turn light brown. Enjoy hot!
pan fried kothimbir vadi

Although the steamed cakes taste delicious as is, pan-frying them with some sesame seeds adds a nice crunch while keeping the moist texture inside.

Serving

Serve hot Kothimbir Cadi as a snack or breakfast with ginger chai or homemade lemonade. To serve along with an Indian meal, pair it with a curry, dal, raita, and hot roti. The steamed Vadi also tastes great at room temperature making them a perfect picnic or lunch box food.

Storing

These mouth-watering cakes have a unique aroma and can be made ahead. They can be refrigerated for a week and also freeze well. So go ahead and double up the batch.

Love these mouth-watering Indian snacks? Here are some of our favorite recipes you will enjoy:

Here is a video to show the quick process:

★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

kothimbir vadi
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4.16 from 13 votes

Kothimbir Vadi

Popular in the state of Maharashtra, Kothimbir vadi is a savory steamed snack made with fresh cilantro, chili and garlic
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Appetizer, Brunch, Snack
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4
Calories: 205kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cilantro rinsed, dried and chopped finely (packed)
  • 2 tablespoon oil divided
  • 2 tablespoon rice flour
  • 1 tablespoon garlic grated
  • 1 teaspoon green chillies minced
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
  • ¾ cup besan gram flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda or ½ teaspoon of eno fruit salt optional
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 2 teaspoon brown sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Add cilantro, half of the oil, rice flour, garlic, green chilies, turmeric, besan, salt and water to a medium bowl. Mix well.
  • Add 1½ cups water to the Instant Pot insert. Set on Sauté mode so the water starts to heat. Heating up the water before placing the batter in the Instant Pot will result in light cakes. Make sure to do this about 5 minutes before you are ready place the batter in the Instant Pot for steaming. Boiling it for too long may cause a lot if water to evaporate.
  • Grease a 7½ inch stainless steel bowl with cooking oil or spray.
  • Add baking soda to the batter and mix well. Quickly pour the batter in the greased bowl. Place the bowl on the instant pot trivet and carefully place the trivet inside the Instant Pot. Note: It is important to start the steaming process within couple of minutes for the baking soda to work. Close Instant Pot lid with pressure valve to venting.
  • Set Instant Pot to Steam mode, with an external timer for 12 minutes. Note: Timer function does not work with Steam/Venting, so an external timer is needed.
  • Once the timer goes off, Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot after 5 minutes.
  • Carefuly take out the bowl. Cut into small square pieces. Pan fry with remaining oil and sesame seeds on medium heat, cooking each side for about an minute or until the sides start to turn light brown. Enjoy hot!

Video

Notes

Stove Top Recipe:
  • You can also cook the Kothimbit Vadi on a stovetop steamer or pressure cooker. 
  • To cook in the steamer, simply add a cup of water to the main pot and then place the bowl with the batter on top. Cook covered for 15 to 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 
  • To make on a stove top pressure cooker, cook without the whistle for 15 minutes.  
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 678mg | Potassium: 232mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 540IU | Vitamin C: 3.1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1.4mg

♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking

♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

Instant Pot Bhogichi Bhaji | Mixed Vegetable Curry

"Bhogichi Bhaji"  is a traditional Maharashtrian mixed vegetable curry with a spicy sesame sauce that celebrates the seasonal bounty of winter vegetables cooked in an earthy, aromatic sauce with coconut, peanuts, and sesame seeds.

Bhogichi Bhaji in a white bowl

Significance

In India, Makar Sankrant symbolizes the end of the winter solstice and the monsoon, and the beginning of the harvest season. In Maharashtra, where I come from, this festival is celebrated for three days. On the first day which is ‘Bhogi’,  we make this special dish that celebrates the seasonal bounty of winter vegetables along with coconut, peanuts, and sesame seeds. It provides much-needed warmth and nourishment to the body during winters.

During my last Indian grocery store visit, a couple of weeks ago I found the traditional winter veggies for this recipe already available. So I decided to give them a try in the Instant Pot and bought the baby eggplants, fresh green chickpeas in pods, the Indian green beans (Vaal).  The only vegetable I was worried about overcooking was the baby eggplant. So I cut them a little bigger to adjust the cooking time for the remaining ingredients and I was happy to see the veggies cooked so perfectly in the Instant Pot.

mixed vegetable curry with sesame sauce in a black skillet garnished with sesame seeds and cilantro with a spoon in it.

Vegetables

The traditional recipe uses 5 vegetables (pictured below):

  1. Eggplant
  2. Green Beans
  3. Carrots
  4. Tomatoes
  5. Green Chickpeas

Although you can substitute them with any hardy vegetables of your choice. The sauce is very unique with distinct warm flavored spices and makes the curry delicious.

Baby eggplant, green chickpeas in pods, tomatoes, green beans and sesame seeds

Prep

How to Prep the veggies for Bhogichi Bhaji:

  1. Split the green beans into 2 vertically, discarding the top and bottom ends. Then break them into 2-inch pieces using your fingers or cut them with a knife
  2. Remove the green chickpeas from the pods by peeling them open and discard the outer skin

Instructions

Step by Step recipe for Instant Pot Mix vegetable curry with sesame sauce {Bhogichi Bhaji}:

Step 1: Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat oil. Add the spice paste and cook for a minute stirring frequently. Add ¼ cup of water and mix well.

Step 2: Add turmeric, red chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, tomatoes, and mix well.

Step 3: Add remaining vegetables and salt. Add 1 cup water and mix well deglazing the pot making sure that the curry paste is not stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Step 4: Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Cook on Manual/Pressure Cook(Low) for 2 minutes followed by Quick release. Garnish with cilantro.

Check out more details on the three day festival of Sankrant celebrated in India and my original stovetop recipe for this mixed vegetable curry.

Here are some of the traditional sweets made in Western India using sesame seeds:

  • Chikki - Sesame crisps
  • Tilachi Poli - Stuffed paratha with sweet sesame seed and jaggery filling

Serving

Serve this curry with hot roti's or parathas. You can also make the South Indian Ven Pongal or Khichdi and serve this curry as a gluten-free meal. To make it a delicious vegetarian Thali I would recommend my crunchy cucumber salad or the spicy cabbage salad.

vegetable curry with sesame sauce

Here is a quick video on how I made it. Very important to deglaze the pot a few times:

★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

mixed vegetable curry with sesame sauce
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5 from 6 votes

Mixed Vegetable Curry with Sesame Sauce - Instant Pot

Knows as Bhogichi Bhaji in Maharashtra this authentic curry is made to celebrate the seasonal bounty of winter vegetables
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 6
Calories: 136kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

Part 1 Spice Paste:

Part 2:

Instructions

  • Make a fine paste of all the ingredients from Part 1 with water.
  • Set Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat oil. Add the spice paste and cook for a minute stirring frequently. Add water and mix well.
  • Add turmeric, red chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, tomatoes and sauté. 
  • Add remaining vegetables and salt. Add 1 cup water and mix well deglazing the pot making sure the curry paste is not stuck to the bottom of the pot. 
  • Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Cook on Manual/Pressure Cook(Low) for 2 minutes followed by Quick release.
  • Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy with warm Roti topped with sesame seeds. 

Video

Notes

Note:
  • Serve this curry with hot roti's or parathas. You can also make the South Indian Ven Pongal or Khichdi and serve this curry as a gluten-free meal. To make it a delicious vegetarian Thali I would recommend my crunchy cucumber salad or the spicy cabbage salad.  
  • This recipe uses a lot of vegetables that are only sold in Indian grocery stores. You can always substitute them with any hardy vegetables of your choice or even a bag of frozen mixed vegetables 
  • Stovetop Recipe - Bhogichi Bhaji

Nutrition

Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 746mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 4165IU | Vitamin C: 17.3mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1.7mg

♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

Five dry chutney's including an exclusive carrot chutney

Chutney is an assortment of essential condiment in Indian cusine with endless varieties - sweet, spicy, tangy, dry or wet. Here is my attempt to revive memories of childhood, to preserve them and adapt them to my new home far far away from the home I grew up.

I grew up in a Maharashtrian home where the dining table is always adorned with a tray filled with a variety of pickles and dry chutneys. The dry chutneys have a long shelf life and hence can be stored at room temperature for weeks. Growing up, I have memories of my mom packing them on long trips to go with "dashmi" - semi-sweet parathas, similar to these pumpkin parathas.

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Read On →

Instant Pot Carrot Makhana Kheer

Carrot Makhana Kheer is a delicious pudding made with healthy, gluten-free fox nuts. The creamy kheer is cooked with milk, carrots and laced with the floral essences of cardamom and saffron.

carrot makhana kheer

My mom recently introduced me to Makhana when she brought a bag of Makhanas with her from India. It truly amazes me to see her incorporate new ingredients in her cooking every year!

carrot makhana kheer

What is Makhana?

Makhanas, also called fox nuts, or lotus seeds, come from a plant called Euryale Fox. These seeds are using in India to make sweets, savory dishes and are used to make special fasting foods. They are gluten-free, low-calorie, and low in sodium.

carrot makhana kheer

How to use Makhana

Makhanas can be simply roasted with a little ghee, salt, and turmeric to enjoy as a crunchy snack. Mom also made us a delicious Kaju Makhana curry that I cannot wait to learn and share with you. Today I am excited to share her carrot makhana kheer with vegan options.

Here is an Instant Pot Carrot Makhana Kheer recipe, which is also easy to cook on stovetop:

★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate

Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Carrot Makhana Kheer - Instant Pot

A delicious, creamy and healthy pudding with shredded carrots and fox nuts!
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time35 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4
Calories: 245kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons ghee divided use coconut oil for vegan
  • 2 cups makhana
  • ⅓ cup whole cashews
  • 2 carrots peeled and shredded, about 2 cups
  • 2 cups low fat milk almond or coconut milk for vegan
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
  • 1 pinch saffron
  • ¼ cup sugar

Instructions

  • Turn Instant Pot to Sauté(more) mode and heat half of the ghee.
  • Add makhana's and roast for about 5 minutes or until they turn light golden brown. Take the roasted makhana out and allow them to cool. Reserve half cup of makhane for garnish. Crush the remaining roasted makhana coarse by pulsing then in the food processor for 1-2 times.
  • Add remaining ghee or oil and cashews. Roast the cashews for 2-3 minutes. Take the cashews out and save them for garnishing.
  • Add shredded carrots and sauté them in the ghee or oil for a minute.
  • Add the crushed makhana to the Instant Pot.
  • Add milk, cardamom powder, saffron and sugar. Give a quick Stir.
  • Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Set Instant Pot to Pressure Cook/Manual(Low Pressure) for 10 minutes.
  • Open the lid after 10 minute natural pressure release.
  • Stir in the roasted cashews. Garnish with reserved makhana. Serve warm or chilled.

Video

Notes

Few options - 
Double up on the makhana, add 1-2 tablespoons of chopped nuts and you have perfect fasting food.
Skip Makhana, add 1-2 tablespoons of chopped nuts and you have a delicious carrot kheer.

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 333mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 5215IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 156mg | Iron: 0.8mg

♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥

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Garlic Dill Lentils - Instant Pot

Herbaceous dill and rich, creamy moong daal meld together in this hearty Garlic Dill Lentils dish. Cooking the dill with lentils mellows the distinctive grassy flavor of the herb. This is a common dish in India after pregnancy, but baby or no baby, this recipe is delicious served with warm paratha or steamed rice.

Dill Lentils with rice on the side
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I grew up not enjoying certain vegetables and Dill was high up on that list. I grew up in a family where we were expected to eat whatever was served for our main meals uncomplainingly. This probably is the reason that I now truly appreciate the unique flavors and textures of so many different vegetables and fruits.

After I had left home and gotten married my mom reintroduced me to Dill again and this time I LOVED it. I appreciated the flavors so much more that it then became a repeat dish in my kitchen. My boys grew up eating this and never once complained the way I would as a child,  and that makes really happy and proud.  Doesn't life get much easier when the whole family enjoys the same meal?

Dill Lentils served with rice and rotis

What is Dill?

An aromatic herb from the fennel family, this leafy vegetable is widely grown in Europe and Asia. More commonly the leaves and seeds are used as a herb or spice for flavoring food. In India, these leaves are often used in making curries and lentils. Dill leaves have a lot of nutritional benefits, they are a good source of vitamin A, calcium, minerals and are packed with dietary fiber.

What is a daal? 

The word daal has 2 meanings:

  1. Lentils or split beans. There are many different kinds of daals such as moong daal, masoor daal chana daal, etc that is using in Indian cooking.
  2. A generic name for cooked lentil dishes such as spinach daal, dill daal, etc.

Check out this interesting article on the dozens of varieties of lentils and beans used in Indian cooking.

This garlic dill lentils recipe is a variation of the authentic Maharashtrian dill curry. We love the flavors with lots of garlic and the creaminess of these well-cooked, blended lentils along with the chickpea flour. You can use yellow moong daal or orange masoor daal and the recipe uses only a few spices - mustard seeds (can substitute with cumin seeds), asafetida (optional), turmeric, and curry leaves.

ingredients to make dal
Ingredients for Dill Lentils

Why add gram flour?

Gram flour works great as a thicker in this dish. It adds creaminess and earthy flavors to the dish.

Step by step recipe

  • Start with giving a good rinse to the dill leaves and dry them with paper towels. Cut and discard the bottom one-third of the bunch that has thick stems and roots. Then pluck out the leaves that are attached to the skinny stems, discarding any remaining thick steams.
preparing dill
  • Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and make the tadka. "Tadka" is a hindi word for tempering where spices are cooked in hot oil or ghee and poured over the finished dish. This adds flavor as well as earthy aromas to the final dish. Add mustard seeds to the hot oil and allow them to pop. Then add asafetida, turmeric, chiles, garlic, curry leaves. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the garlic turns golden brown and aromatic.
photos showing how to make tempering
  • Carefully take out the tempering and reserve. Add lentils, chopped dill, salt, and water to the Instant Pot. Mix well, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Close the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 4 minutes. Allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release. Quick-release remaining pressure.
added dill and lentils to Instant Pot
  • Mash the lentils with a potato masher, immersion blender, or the back of a spoon. Stir in gram flour mixed in water and half of the reserved tempering. Bring the lentils to a gentle boil.
cooked lentils in Instant Pot
  • Note - That the lentils will continue to thicken as they cool down. Take out the lentils in a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining tempering.

Serving

Enjoy hot with rice and parathas or roti. Pair the meal with a delicious cucumber salad or cabbage salad for a satisfying vegetarian Indian meal.

In addition to this Garlic Dill Lentils are few other lentil recipes you will enjoy:

★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate

Recipe

garlic dill lentils
Print Recipe
4.55 from 20 votes

Garlic Dill Lentils

A delicious lentil dish cooked with fresh dill, garlic and green chillies.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 3
Calories: 211kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon ghee or oil
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon hing{asafetida} optional
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 green chillies sliced into half, 1 jalapeño sliced
  • 10 curry leaves
  • 10 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ cup split red lentils/masoor daal or mung daal rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups chopped dill leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons gram flour (besan) mixed in ¼ cup of water

Instructions

  • Turn Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode. Once the hot sign displays add ghee or oil. Add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add hing, turmeric, green chilies, garlic and curry leaves. Mix well and cook for a minute. Take out most of this tempering in a bowl and reserve.
  • Add lentils and chopped dill to the Instant Pot. Mix well. Add 3 cups of water and salt. Mix again deglazing the pot to make sure the lentils are not sticking to the pot.
  • Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Pressure cook(hi) for 4 minutes. Allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release and then carefully quick release the remaining pressure.
  • Open Instant Pot and mix with an immersion blender or mash the lentils with the back of a spatula. 
  • Set Instant Pot to saute mode. Stir in gram flour mixed in water and half of the reserved tempering. Mix well and bring to a gentle boil.
  • Take out the lentils in a serving bowl. Serve hot topped with remaining tempering and steamed rice or parathas. 

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 901mg | Potassium: 600mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2545IU | Vitamin C: 101.3mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 4.9mg

♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

Instant Pot Sweet Potato Halwa

Delicately flavored and lightly sweetened sweet potato halwa is a perfect dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast or dinner. With melt-in-mouth creamy sweet potatoes and aromatic cardamom and saffron, this halwa is easy to make in the Instant Pot.

sweet potato halwa served in a white bowl with a spoon next to it

Sweet Potatoes are a must-have root vegetable in my kitchen. From adding it to curries and dal to homemade Indian bread, I love using nutrient-rich sweet potatoes in my cooking. Traditionally sweet potato is also a "fasting" approved vegetable in India.

This 4th of July also happened to be an Indian festival of "Ashadhi Ekadashi" that is celebrated by fasting or eating special foods. I have always enjoyed the special fasting foods. This year will be particularly special as I can cook and enjoy a special meal with my mom.

Our menu included my favorite crispy non-fry Sabudana vada with a yogurt & peanut chutney and refreshing ginger lemonade. Mom also made this heavenly sweet potato halwa that is fiber-rich and loaded with nutrients.

peeled and sliced sweet potatoes

Why we love this Sweet Potato Halwa

  • good source of fiber and vitamins, with a lower glycemic index
  • gluten-free
  • Make it vegan by using oil and nut milk
  • make ahead recipe
  • fasting friendly for my Indian followers
  • easy and quick
sweet potato halwa in a white bowl garnished with nuts and shredded coconut

I loved that mom used the Instant Pot to make the halwa instead of her traditional stovetop recipe. We were pleasantly surprised with the beautiful textures in Instant Pot with half the cooking time.

Instead of individually shredded the sweet potatoes which can be time-consuming, we sliced the sweet potatoes. Then added the remaining ingredients and pressure cooked for 3 mins. The halwa came out creamy and luxurious with half the effort and everyone loved the flavors.

Here is a quick video showing how mom made it:

★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

sweet potato halwa served in a white bowl
Print Recipe
4.67 from 15 votes

Instant Pot Sweet Potato Halwa

A delicately flavored, lightly sweetened dish with melt-in-mouth textures and aromatics from cardamom and saffron.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time15 mins
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4
Calories: 230kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons ghee Oil for Vegan option
  • 3 medium sweet potatoes washed, peeled and thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • ⅓ cup packed brown sugar more or less
  • ¼ cup grated unsweetened coconut
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 6 cardamom pods
  • 1 generous pinch of saffron
  • Optional Garnish
  • 1 tablespoon almonds and pistachio slices

Instructions

  • Turn the Instant Pot to Saute mode. Add ghee, sliced sweet potatoes. Add almond milk, brown sugar, coconut, salt, cardamom, and saffron.
  • Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Press Cancel and select Pressure cook(Hi) and adjust the time to 3 minutes. Allow Natural Pressure Release. Garnish with nuts and enjoy.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 371mg | Potassium: 421mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 13830IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 1.4mg

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Tasty Cabbage Rice - Instant Pot

Cabbage Rice is a tasty Indian meal loaded with vitamin-packed cabbage. It is gluten-free and vegan with the perfect spicy kicky from fresh ginger and green chilies.

cabbage rice served in 2 white bowls

This is one of my mom's newest recipes that I got to taste and learn when she visited me this summer. When she first made it on the stove-top, I was not sure if it would be a good recipe for Instant Pot. As this recipe does not use a lot of water. The soaked rice is basically slow-cooked with little water and then all the juices from shredded cabbage.  It did take us a couple of tries to achieve this perfect Instant Pot recipe!

cabbage rice served in a white bowl with a spoon

Prep

We started with a whole head of cabbage bought fresh from the farmer's market. After chopping it into smaller pieces, we grated them in the food processor. We had about eight heaping cups of cabbage that we used in this recipe!

grated cabbage in a food processor bowl

This recipe uses long grain Basmati rice and is cooked mostly in the water released from the cabbage. The rice button, which is a 12-minute low-pressure setting works perfectly for this recipe. And if there is some rice browned at the bottom, just scrape it and enjoy it.

Here is a good article I recently came across that explains asafetida or hing used as an optional ingredient in this recipe!

Pro Tips

  • Use long-grain white Basmati Rice. I love Kohinoor Extra long grain Basmati Rice
  • Soak Rice for 2 hours. Soaking removes extra starch and also makes the rice fluffy and light
  • Use fresh ginger and curry leaves for the best taste
  • Allergic to peanuts? You can add cashews or even substitute with chana dal

Step by Step Recipe

  • Rinse the rice 2-3 times and then soak the rice in 4 cups of warm water for 2 hours. Drain the rice and keep it aside. 
  • Turn Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode and heat oil. Add asafetida, mustard seeds in the oil and allow the mustard seeds to pop. It may take 3 to 4 minutes for the mustard seeds to pop. Add peanuts and sauté for a minute. Add turmeric, curry leaves, ginger, and green chili. Mix everything together and cook until peanuts are golden brown.
  • cabbage rice
  • cabbage rice
  • cabbage rice
  • cabbage rice
  • Add grated cabbage and salt. Mix again. Add drained rice and gently mix everything together. Add 2 cups of water.
  • cabbage rice
  • cabbage rice
  • cabbage rice
  • cabbage rice
  • Close the Instant Pot lid with the pressure valve to sealing. Press the ‘Rice’ button. Allow Natural Pressure Release. Open Instant Pot and add lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro and coconut.
  • cabbage rice
  • cabbage rice

Serving

The flavor-packed cabbage rice tastes amazing as is. You can also pair it with some Indian pickle and yogurt or serve it with a cooling raita.

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To reheat simply microwave in a serving bowl for 1 to 2 minutes. This cabbage rice can also be frozen and comes in handy as a quick meal for busy weeknights.

I always keep cabbage stocked in my refrigerator. It is inexpensive, has a long shelf life and so easy to make quick meals.

Here are some of my favorite cabbage recipes:

cabbage rice
Print Recipe
4.2 from 31 votes

Cabbage Rice - Instant Pot

A simple and flavorful one-pot vegan rice dish is loaded with vitamins from cabbage and the perfect heat from fresh ginger and green chilies
Prep Time2 hrs
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time2 hrs 20 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 8
Calories: 288kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Rinse the rice 2-3 times and then soak the rice in 4 cups of warm water for 2 hours. Drain the rice and keep aside.
  • Turn Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode. Heat oil, add asafetida and mustard seeds and allow them to pop. This may take 3 to 4 minutes. 
  • Add peanuts and sauté for a minute. Add turmeric, curry leaves, ginger and green chili. Mix everything together and cook until peanuts are golden brown.
  • Add grated cabbage and salt. Mix again. Add drained rice and gently mix everything together. Add 2 cups of water.
  • Close Instant Pot lid with pressure valve to sealing. Press the ‘Rice’ button. Allow Natural Pressure Release. Open Instant Pot and pour lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro and coconut. Enjoy hot!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 674mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 205IU | Vitamin C: 67.6mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1.2mg

♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

Ragda Patties | Ragda Pattice - Instant Pot

Popular street food in India, Ragda patties is a dish everyone must try once. A spicy white peas curry served over potato patties and dressed up with sweet and tangy chutneys, crispy sev, and garnished with diced onions and fresh cilantro. Every bite is a magical explosion of "spicy, sweet and tangy" AKA "CHAT-PATA" flavors and the melt-in-mouth potato patties.

ragda patties with all of the fixings on the side

Unlike the kind you would get from a street cart or restaurant, this homemade version is much healthier without compromising on the taste. 

ragda patties in a white plate

Growing up, I devoured plated and plates of Ragda Patties made by my mom. When the time came for me to make it myself I found it intimidating with its 2 part recipe and all those toppings. After making it a couple of times I realized that it really isn't as complex as it looks.

steps showing how to make the potato patty

Tips

How to prep ahead so making Ragda Patties is quick and easy:

  • Boil and peel the potatoes ahead of time - Medium potatoes or large potatoes cut in half, pressure cooked for 10 mins does the job well.
  • Make the tamarind chutney 2-3 days ahead of time or go ahead and buy a store-bought jar.
  • If you like it spicy, buy some green chutney or make it ahead of time.
  • And lastly, don't forget to soak the white peas for 8 hours.

I like the convenience of using Instant Pot or stovetop pressure cooker for perfectly cooked, soft, melt-in-mouth peas curry. Here is a quick video on how to make the Ragda {curry} for the Ragda Patties in Instant Pot:

Follow this detailed recipe for Ragda, Patties, and our way of assembling this flavor-bomb dish!

Did you enjoy Ragda Patties? Here is a delicious Matar Chaat Recipe by my friend Aneesha from Spice Cravings that you will LOVE:

Matar chaat or Matra Chaat, an Indian spiced dry white peas dip, is one of the most popular street foods you will find in New Delhi.  Cooked white peas are tossed with onion, tomato, cilantro, and seasoned with tangy Indian spices, and lime juice. It is literally a party in your mouth! Get the recipe!

Matar Chaat Served in a bowl garnished with onions, cilantro and lime wedge

★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

ragda patties
Print Recipe
4.44 from 16 votes

Ragda Patties

A delicious street food from India, A mouthwatering white peas curry served over potato patties.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 30 mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4
Calories: 581kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

Ragda Curry

Potato Patties (Makes 16)

  • 3 large yellow potatoes halved
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated
  • 1 teaspoon green chillies minced
  • 2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoon corn flour
  • 2 tablespoon oil or as needed

Tamarind Chutney

Optional toppings

  • 1 medium red onion finely diced
  • ½ cup cilantro chopped
  • ½ cup thin sev
  • 1 tablespoon red chili powder
  • ½ tablespoon cumin powder

Instructions

Ragda Curry

  • Turn Instant Pot to Saute(More) mode. Once the hot sign displays, add oil. Allow the oil to heat up for a minute. add mustard seeds. Allow them to splutter, this may take upto 2 mins.
  • Add asafetida, turmeric, onion, ginger and garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add tomato, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, red chili powder and salt. Mix well.
  • Add soaked peas. Add brown sugar, tamarind paste and 2 cups of water. Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 20 minutes followed by Natural Pressure Release.
  • Open IP, garnish with cilantro. Adjust salt, garam masala and water depending on the spice level and consistency you like.

Potato Patties

  • Add 1 cup water to Instant Pot. Keep the trivet inside and place the potatoes on it. Close the lid with pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 10 mins followed by Natural Pressure Release.
  • Open the instant pot. Peel the potatoes and put them in a large mixing bowl. Add ginger, chilies, salt, and corn starch. Mash everything together with a hand masher to make a smooth dough.
  • Take about 2 tablespoons of the dough and form a ball, press to make a 2-inch disc. Repeat for the remaining dough.
  • Heat a large non-stick griddle and spread half of the oil on it. Depending on the size of the griddle place all or half of the patties on it. Cook until both sides are golden brown. Adding remaining oil as required.
  • Turn the heat off and you can keep the patties on the griddle until you are ready to assemble the ragda.

Tamarind Chutney

  • Mix all together to form a smooth chutney.
  • Optionally you can reduce the brown sugar or jaggery by using 6 dates and 2 tablespoon of brown sugar. Make a smooth paste in a blender.

To assemble:

  • Place 2 patties on a plate. Add ½ cup of Ragda on top. Add ½ tablespoon (or more) of the tamarind chutney. Add some red onion, cilantro, thin sev, red chili powder and cumin powder on top. Enjoy and Repeat!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 581kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2436mg | Potassium: 1728mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 1675IU | Vitamin C: 29.6mg | Calcium: 176mg | Iron: 10.5mg

♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

Instant Pot Dill Dhokli | Curried Dill with Homemade Noodles

Dill Dhokli is a nourishing and satisfying meal made with homemade whole wheat noodles cooked in a tasty chili-garlic dill sauce.

dill dhokli served in white bowls
Dill Dhokli

In Indian cooking, Dill is used as the main ingredient, rather than a herb in several dishes. I remember growing up not being a big fan of Dill. After the birth of my older son, while my Mom was visiting, she made Dill lentils with a touch of chickpea flour and lots of minced garlic. That recipe made me fall in love with Dill. I have since cooked with Dill so many times that my entire family enjoys Dill.

If you have not cooked with dill here is a MUST-TRY recipe! And If you enjoy Dill like us you need to make this NOW!!

I got many sweet messages from you guys about my Instant Pot Daal Dhokli recipe. I am always thrilled to hear from my readers and it made me so happy to know that you loved my recipe. So here is another Dhokli recipe for you... one of my mom's newest recipes that we all devour!

dill dhokli served in white bowls

I am always up for anything with Dill & Garlic. A quick sauté of fresh dill leaves with garlic, red chilies and lentils make a healthy and delicious side dish to enjoy with parathas or hot rice. The tender lacy dill leaves are the star ingredient in my fish Biryani!

This EASY vegan Dill Dhokli recipe is truly a brilliant idea if you are looking to add dill to your diet!

fresh dill bunch

Make the dough with whole wheat flour, carom seeds, turmeric, and salt. Roll the dough into circles and cut into bite-sized squares.

rolled and cut dhokli

Sprinkle some dry flour on the dough squares to prevent them from sticking to each other and keep them in a large tray. Make a simple tadka with oil, asafetida, turmeric, chili, and garlic; sauté fresh dill in it. Add water, bring to boil, and then add the dhokli's. Pressure cook for 2 mins in the Instant Pot followed by Quick Release and the delicious Dill Dhokli is ready to be enjoyed. The addition of chickpea flour in this dish adds a nice mellow-buttery taste.

This Instant Pot Dill Dhokli recipe can also be adapted easily for the traditional pressure cooker or stovetop cooking.

★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

Dill Dhokli served in a white bowl
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Instant Pot Dill Dhokli

Savory whole wheat noodles cooked in a peppery chili-garlic dill sauce to make a healthy and satisfying meal
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4
Calories: 174kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

  • Dhokli
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour plus ¼ cup for rolling
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon carom seeds
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • ¼ teaspoon asafetida
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 3 green chilies or 1 jalapeño minced
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup packed dill de-stemmed & chopped
  • 1 tablespoon besan gram flour
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  • Mix whole wheat flour, salt, carom seeds and turmeric. Use water as needed to make a firm yet pliable dough. Add oil and knead the dough well.
  • Make 6 balls from the dough. Using the extra whole wheat flour, roll the dough balls into 8 inch thin circles. Using a pizza cutter, cut each rolled circle into 1-inch squares dhoklis. Put the cut dough pieces on a platter. Sprinkle a little bit of dry flour before layering the pieces on a tray to avoid them from sticking to each other.
  • Turn Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode and heat oil. Add asafetida, turmeric, green chilies and garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds.
  • Add dill and sauté for another minute. Add 3 cups of water and salt. Mix the besan in ½ cup of water and stir it in.
  • Put glass lid on and cook until the liquids come to rolling boil. Add the dhokli squares and stir gently.
  • Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 2 mins followed by Quick Release. Open Instant Pot, gently stir the dhoklis. Enjoy hot!

Nutrition

Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 705mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 905IU | Vitamin C: 15.4mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2.2mg

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Instant Pot Corn Poblano Chowder

Corn Poblano Chowder is an earthy, peppery corn chowder cooked with summer's seasonal bounty of sweet corn, tomatoes, poblano peppers, spicy jalapeno, potatoes, and fresh parsley. A satisfying, gluten-free vegan recipe without any cream or cheese and is so effortless in the Instant Pot.

corn chowder in 3 bowls

Inspired from Panera Bread's Summer corn chowder recipe, this is my dairy-free vegan version.

I love buying fresh bi-color sweet corn in the summer! Although frozen sweet corn will work well for this corn chowder, I still love scraping fresh corn kernels and taking out every bit of goodness from the cob. I have used both regular peppers and poblano peppers in this recipe. I have to say that the complex sweetness and subtle heat from poblano peppers make this chowder exceptional!

corn in the husk and poblano peppers

After taking out the top layer of the corn kernels, I scrape the cobs again to get any remaining kernels and juices. Then, puree the additional scraped corn and juices with water to give this soup a hearty texture.

removing corn kernels

The corn starch or arrowroot powder mixed in water also adds creaminess to this delicious gluten-free and vegan dish. Serve with a side arugula salad or kale salad or a quick sandwich to make a delicious meal that the whole family will enjoy!

corn poblano soup on two bowls with a salad

Looking for more recipes with poblano peppers? Try the Chicken Poblano Chilli with easy Instant Pot recipe.

Here is a video on this easy Corn Poblano Chowder Instant Pot recipe:

★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

Corn Poblano chowder in 3 white bowls
Print Recipe
4.23 from 18 votes

Corn Poblano Chowder - Instant Pot

An earthy, peppery corn chowder cooked with summer's seasonal bounty of sweet corn, tomatoes, poblano peppers, spicy jalapeno, and potatoes.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 138kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

  • 5 ears of fresh corn husked
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 poblano pepper diced
  • 1 medium onion finely diced
  • 1 jalapeno seeded and diced
  • 1 large russet potato peeled and diced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 10 oz or 2 fresh red tomatoes, diced
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour or corn starch
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped for garnish

Instructions

  • With a knife cut kernels from the corn. Keep aside.
  • Scrape the cobs again to get any remaining kernels and juices. Puree these with 1 cup of water and keep aside.
  • Turn Instant Pot to Saute mode and heat oil. Add poblano, onion and jalapeno. Mix well. Cook covered with glass lid for 4 to 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
  • Add potatoes, tomatoes, pureed corn, corn kernels, salt, and allspice. Add 1 cup of water. Mix well.
  • Close Instant Pot with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 5 minutes. Quick release or Natural release the pressure.
  • Using a stick blender, blend the soup for a few seconds. This step is optional.
  • Mix arrowroot powder or corn starch in water to make slurry. Stir it in the soup and turn Instant Pot to Saute mode. Bring the chowder to a gentle boil. Garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy hot with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper for additional heat.
  • Note: You can also use celery, green or red peppers in this recipe.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 890mg | Potassium: 559mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 530IU | Vitamin C: 38.9mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2.5mg

♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking

♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes?

Instant Pot Chana Saag

Chana Saag is a vegetarian chickpea curry cooked with greens in a tangy onion-tomato-based sauce that is perfectly spiced with turmeric, cumin seeds, and garam masala.

Chana Saag served with naan and rice

Cooked in under 30 minutes, using few basic ingredients, this Instant Pot Chana Saag is packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. A sprinkle of homemade garam masala gives perfect warmth to this dish and the tangy flavors from dry mango powder round up the flavors really well.

spices for Chana Saag
Ingredients to make chana masala

In addition to the restaurant-like Chana Masala, this chana saag dish is a staple for weeknight meals and also a good make-ahead dish for pot lucks and dinner parties.

Since I started cooking in the Instant Pot, I am attempting many of my stove stop dishes in it. I have to agree that there are a few recipes like my Pineapple Sheera, which is so much better-cooked on the stovetop. Then there are many others like the Spinach Daal, Dum Aloo, and Palak Paneer that are SO effortless and flavorful in the Instant Pot. It saves time and I do not need to stand around the stove too long.

I was thrilled to see how flavorful and easy my stove-top Chana Saag recipe was in the pressure cooker!

Saag

So what is saag? Saag refers to leafy green vegetables like mustard greens, collard greens, and spinach. Since spinach is more readily available, that is my go-to green for this recipe. But you can also use other leafy greens such as mustard greens, beet leaves, swiss chard, or kale.

Variations

  • You can make pot in pot white rice along with chana saag when using canned chickpeas. Add 1 cup basmati rice, 1.5 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of salt in a stainless steel pot and place over the tall trivet.
  • If using pre-soaked chickpeas, add an extra ½ cup of water and pressure cook for 25 minutes followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release. You can also make pot in pot brown rice when using soaked chickpeas as they have a similar cook time to brown rice. Add 1 cup brown rice, 1.5 cups of water in a stainless steel pot, and place over the tall trivet.
  • To make vegan Chana Saag, simply substitute ghee with oil.
  • Substitute spinach with your favorite greens like finely chopped kale, swiss chard, or beet leaves.

chana saag served with rice and beet raita

Instructions

Here are the easy steps to make healthy and tasty Instant Pot Chana Saag:

Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode and add ghee and onions. Cook for 2 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Add ginger, garlic, ground cumin, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt (photos 1 - 2).

step one and two showing onions and spice in instant pot

Stir the spices. Add tomatoes and the chickpeas (photos 3 - 4).

steps three and four adding chick peas to instant pot

Add ⅓ cup of water and mix well.

Optional Step to make Pot in pot rice: Add 1 cup basmati rice, 1.5 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt to a stainless steel pot. You can also add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds and 1 bay leaf. Place a tall trivet in the Instant Pot and place the rice pot over it (photos 5 - 6).

steps five and six adding pot in pot rice to instant pot

Close the Instant Pot lid and pressure cook for 4 minutes followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release. Note if you are just cooking chickpeas without the pot in pot rice you can also quick-release at this point. Carefully take out the rice pot and the trivet. Add amchur powder (or lemon juice) & garam masala (photos 7 - 8).

steps seven and eight showing cooked rice and chana saag

Add spinach and set the Instant Pot to saute mode. Cook for 2 minutes or just until the spinach starts to cook down. Turn the Instant Pot off to avoid overcooking the spinach (photos 9 - 10).

steps nine and ten showing cooking the spinach in instant pot

Serving

Serve with warm pita bread, naan, or homemade parathas. For gluten-free options, serve with basmati rice or brown rice. Cooling beetroot raita pairs really well with the spicy flavors of this curry. And don’t forget to make the refreshing mango lassi that the kids and adults will love!

Storing

Chana saag can be refrigerated for 5 days. For longer shelf life, freeze it. To reheat simply allow it to thaw and then reheat it in the microwave or stovetop in a pan. 

Did you enjoy this protein-packed vegetarian curry? Here are some more vegetarian recipes to try:

chana saag instant pot
Print Recipe
4.54 from 54 votes

Chana Saag - Instant Pot

A Vegan, chickpeas, and spinach dish cooked in onion, tomato-based tangy sauce and spiced with turmeric, cumin, and garam masala.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 3
Calories: 73kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

  • 1 15 oz canned chickpeas rinsed and drained, or or 2 cups soaked chickpeas (1 cup dry, soaked overnight)
  • 1 tablespoon ghee or oil for vegan
  • 1 small onion chopped fine
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder or paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 medium tomato diced
  • ⅓ cup water
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon aamchoor powder dry mango powder or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4-6 cups fresh baby spinach chopped

Instructions

  • Turn Instant Pot to saute mode. Once the 'hot' sign displays, add ghee. Add onions and mix well. Cook for 2 mins with a glass lid on.
  • Add ginger, garlic, cumin powder, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Cook for 30 secs.
  • Add tomatoes and mix everything together. Add water and chickpeas. Mix well.
  • Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing position. Pressure cook for 4 minutes. (If using pre-soaked chickpeas cook for 25 mins)
  • Quick-release the pressure or if you have time Natural Release is fine too. Open the Instant Pot and set it on Saute mode.
  • Add garam masala and dry mango powder. Add Spinach. Mix everything together and cook for 2-3 mins. Serve hot with Rice or Parathas. For low carb option serve with cauliflower rice.

Video

Notes

Variations
  • To make vegan Chana Saag, simply substitute ghee with oil.
  • You can make pot in pot white rice along with chana saag when using canned chickpeas. Add 1 cup basmati rice, 1.5 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of salt in a stainless steel pot and place over the tall trivet.
  • If using pre-soaked chickpeas, add an extra ½ cup of water and pressure cook for 25 minutes followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release. You can also make pot in pot brown rice when using soaked chickpeas as they have a similar cook time to brown rice. Add 1 cup brown rice, 1.5 cups of water in a stainless steel pot, and place over the tall trivet.
  • Substitute spinach with your favorite greens like finely chopped kale, swiss chard, or beet leaves.

Nutrition

Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 822mg | Potassium: 282mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3950IU | Vitamin C: 13.9mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1.8mg

♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

Indian Pulses - A quick guide to lentils, beans and peas

Pulses. A fancy word to describe the ever-so-delicious and protein-packed chickpeas, lentils, and dry peas. I am truly fascinated by the different types available and love picking up a new variety every time I go for my Indian groceries. My pantry now contains over 20 different varieties!

Indian Pulses - Lentils and Beans

My love for the versatile pulses has increased over the last 15 years. The possibilities are endless and the different dishes are healthy and filling.

When I first started cooking I found it very difficult to differentiate between some of the yellow lentils. And there were also common lentils, like red lentils, that I had no idea how to use other than in my lentil rangoli.

What are pulses or Lentils/Beans?

Before I dive into some of my favorite pulses and the common recipes I use them for, here is my brief understanding of various pulses.

  • Pulses are part of the legume family, but the term “pulse” refers only to the dried seed. They are dried legumes that grow in a pod of one to twelve seeds.
  • Includes beans, lentils, peas, and other little seeds referred to as lentils or beans.
  • Dal is often translated as “lentils” but actually refers to a split version of a number of lentils, peas, chickpeas, kidney beans, and so on. If a pulse is split into half, it is daal. For example, split Mung beans are Mung daal.
  • Indian pulses are usually available in three types: the whole pulse, the split pulse with the skin on, and the split pulse with the skin removed.

When babies are ready to eat solid foods they usually will start with khichadi which is made with rice and a combination of lentils cooked very soft. When I started making this for my first son Aum, it was the easiest and most healthy food I could offer. I would pressure cook some rice with lentils, spinach or carrots, a little bit of turmeric, salt, and ghee and he would eat away! Khichdi is still one of our family favorites though now I make it much more flavorful by adding spices, ginger, garlic, and cumin, and the lentils that go in vary.

My weekly meal preparation usually involves soaking some whole beans like green gram or red lentils and then sprouting them. Sprouts can be refrigerated for 8-10 days and can be used in curries, rice dishes, salads, or to snack on. I also use lentils to make my favorite south Indian foods like Idli, Vada, Sambar, Rassam, and many different varieties of dosas. Check out lots of delicious recipes using lentils and beans in my The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook.

Here are some of my favorite Indian pulses and a quick guide to their names in English and Hindi:

Green Gram Beans, Spilt Green Gram and split and skinned green gram {Mung or Moong}

The tiny green gram beans are super tasty. Whole beans can be sprouted and then used in curries, soups, or salads. Raw sprouted mung beans taste delicious as a snack. They also come in a split variety with and without skin on. These split lentils can be used in making healthy daal and rice dishes.

green gram beans, spilt green gram and split and skinned green gram{mung}
green gram beans, spilt green gram and split and skinned green gram{mung}

Black Eyed Beans {Chawli or Lobia}

These beans can be soaked and then cooked into delicious curries. These are our favorite beans for a weeknight curry. Soak them 5-6 hours before cooking or use your Instant Pot to cook them in under half an hour.

pulses - black eyed beans
black eyed beans{chawli}

Red Lentils and Split Red Lentils {masoor} 

Most common lentils are easily available in many grocery stores. Similar to the mung beans the whole red lentils can be sprouted and then used in curries, soups, rice dishes, and breakfast bowls. You can sauté them with some salt and pepper for a protein-packed breakfast or snack. The best part about the whole masoor is that they are easily available in regular grocery stores and make for hearty brown lentil curry.

Split red lentils cook very fast and make delicious yellow dal. I love using them in my spinach dal recipe too as they cook much faster and are also lighter on the tummy.

pulses - lentils
Red Lentils and Split red lentils{masoor}

Yellow Pigeon Peas {Toor or Toovar Daal}

I am pretty sure these come as whole beans too but I only buy these split and skinned. In Maharashtra, where I grew up Toor Daal is used to make the everyday dal. My favorite version of this is the spinach dal, made with lots of garlic, spinach, and tomatoes! The South Indian Bisi Bele Bhath using Toor daal in Instant Pot comes out super authentic and tasty.

pulses - yellow pigeon peas
yellow pigeon peas{toor daal}

Adzuki Beans {Chori}

I never ate these small red beans while in India, but came across them here in the US while shopping for my Indian groceries. I soak these and make them into a curry with sautéed onions, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic. These are super flavorful and packed with nutrition like all of the others.

spices - adzuki beans
adzuki beans{chori}

Turkish/Dew Gram Beans {Matki or Moth Beans}

These are my most favorite beans to make the traditional Matkichi Usal,  which is a spicy and delicious curry made with sprouted Turkish gram. They have a nutty flavor with an earthy aroma. These also come in the split and de-skinned form but I haven't tried them yet. Do try out my recipe for Misal pav using sprouted maki. 

pulses - turkish gram beans
turkish/de