What's in my Pantry Chilli in Instant Pot

(From Banu's Cookbook)

This is named What's in my pantry chilli, because that is exactly what this was. I did not really follow any particular recipe, I just used what was in my pantry today. So, please feel free to substitute and/or add your own ingredients.

Ingredients:
1 Medium Sized Onion - Chopped Finely
3-4 Mini Sweet Peppers - Chopped
1 Green Zucchini - Chopped
1 Carrot - Chopped
1 Small Tin of Hatch Green Chilies
1 16 oz Can of Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 16 oz Can of Sweet Corn
1 16 oz Can of Pinto Beans
1 16 oz Can of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
2 tsp of Oregano
2 tsp of Cumin Powder
1 tsp of Cayenne Red Chili Pepper
2 tsp of Brown Sugar
Oil for Sauteeing
Salt for Cooking
1/2 - 1 cup of Water

For Pico De Gallo
1 Small Onion Chopped
2 Tomatoes Chopped
1/2 cup of Cilantro Chopped

Avocado for Topping

Instant Pot for Cooking

Method:
1. Heat the Instant pot in Saute mode. Put some oil. Put the chopped Onion, Sweet Peppers and Hatch Chille and saute for a few minutes (5-6) minutes or until the onions turn soft.
2. Now add the Zucchini, Carrot and all the seasoning and mix well. Cook for a few more minutes.
3. Now add all the canned ingredients, salt and some water. Basically the water should be about 1/2 inch over all the ingredients or even less.
4. Mix it all well and close the Instant pot lid. Turn the Steam Valve to sealing position. Switch off the Saute mode and chose the Bean/Chilli Mode. Mine was set to some 50 mins, but since I was using canned and not dry or pre soaked beans, I reduced the time to 25 mins.
5. Once the cook time is done, I did a natural pressure release, which means, I just waited for the pressure to release naturally. Chilli was done well and not over cooked or mushy.
6. Ladle the Chilli into a bowl, top it with Avocado and Pico De Gallo and Enjoy.


Notes:
1. You can of course do this in a regular pressure cooker or stove top. I happen to use Instant pot because it is easy to saute and cook all in one pot.
2. You can add any different kind of canned beans and some fresh tomatoes as well.
3. You can serve it with a bit of sour cream or greek yogurt too.
4. You can skip the Brown sugar, but I feel like it tempers all the sourness that is there in tomatoes etc.

Red Radish and Spinach Curry

(From Banu's Cookbook)

I had couple of bunches of Red Radish and I wanted to try something else other than my traditional sambhar recipe with this vegetable. So, here is my experimentation of Red Radish and Spinach curry.

Ingredients:

3-4 bunches of Red Radish - Cleaned and sliced into half rounds.
2-3 cups of Spinach - Washed and Chopped
1 Large Red Onion - chopped finely
3-4 Garlic Cloves - Chopped Finely
Turmeric - 1/2 Tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1-2 Tsp (based on taste)
Cumin (Jeera) Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander (Dhaniya) Powder - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - 1 Tbsp
Salt to Taste
Oil for cooking
Mustard seeds, Cumin Seeds and Hing (Asafoetida) for seasoning.

Method:
1. Wash, clean and slice the red radish in half rounds. Keep it aside.
2. In a pan, heat some oil. Add Mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the jeera and hing.
3. Add the chopped onion and garlic and saute until the onion browns a bit. Do not overcook the onions. Just a little browning is good enough.
4. Now add the cut radish and saute for a few minutes. I covered the pan with a lid and cooked it for about 4-5 minutes until the radish was half done.
5. Add the masala powders at this point and mix well and saute for a few more minutes.
6. Add the chopped spinach and mix it all well. Add salt and Jaggery at this point.
7. Saute/cook for about 4-5 minutes until the spinach is done and at this point the radish will be cooked too.
8. Serve it hot with chapathi or rice.

Notes:
1. You can use the radish leaves that come with the radish as well. I felt it was too bitter, so I skipped it.
2. The radish itself will have a bite or sharpness to it, so add red chilli powder per taste.
3. You can skip jaggery. I added it because of the Radish sharpness and I thought it will temper the dish a bit.

Peas and Paneer Curry

(From Banu's Cookbook)

There are many versions of Peas Paneer aka Matter Paneer Curry out there. So I am sure mine is influenced by many of them. But here is a version that is the result of my experimentation.

Ingredients:

Paneer - 400 gms (I use Nanak Malai Paneer from Indian Stores)
Frozen Peas - 3/4 cup (you can increase or decrease this based on your taste)
2 Small Red Onions - Chopped Roughly
4-5 Garlic Cloves
1 inch piece of Ginger
4-5 Tomatoes (I used Roma Tomatoes, but any work)
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
2 tsp Dhaniya Jeera Powder
Jeera for Seasoning
1/2 inch Cinnamon Stick, 1 small star anise, 1-2 Cardamon, 1-2 Bay leaves for Seasoning
1 can of Coconut Milk (13-14 oz can) (I get the full fat one)
Salt to Taste
Butter or Ghee for cooking
Finely Chopped Cilantro for Garnishing
1/2 tsp of Dry Kasoori Methi for Garnishing

Method:

1. In a pan, heat a bit of butter, add the chopped onion, ginger and garlic and saute on medium heat until the onions are done (they become translucent) and also it becomes a bit brown. Let this mixture cool and then grind it into a smooth paste with little or NO water.
2. Cut the paneer into the bite size that you want and soak it for 10-12 mins in Warm water, so that it softens.
3. Cook the peas, drain the water and add ice cubes to retain the green color of the peas.
4. Boil the tomatoes, peel the skin and grind it into a paste.
5. In a pan, heat some butter, add all the seasoning items - Jeera, Star Anise, Cinnamon etc and fry for a few mins. To this, add the ground onion mixture and cook for 5-7 minutes. If the mixture is splattering (as mine does sometimes), cover it with a lid, but keep the lid open, so that steam/water does not build up.
6. Once this mixture is well cooked, add the dry masalas - Dhaniya Jeera powder, Turmeric, Red Chilli Powder and mix well.
7. Add the Tomatoe paste/puree and mix well and let it cook until you can see oil separating at the edges.
8. Now add the Paneer pieces, peas, coconut milk, salt and mix well and let the whole mixture boil for a few minutes on medium or medium-low fire.
9. Turn off the heat and garnish it with Chopped Corriander Leaves and a bit of Kasoori Methi Powder (I take the dry kasoori methi leaves, crush it in between my hands and add it).

Serve it hot with Chapathi, Poori or Rice

Notes:

1. You can use home made paneer or any other Paneer. I am just giving you the brand that I like to use. You do not have to soften the paneer, but it tastes better and absorbs the masala better if it is soft.
2. You can use canned tomato puree or paste, but the fresh made one tastes better.
3. I have tried using the low fat coconut milk, the taste is way different and the curry is more watery. So, full fat coconut milk works better for this recipe.