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Instant pot dal makhani recipe 🌶

By James Strange 1 Comment

This simple recipe for dal makhani using the Instant Pot is a gout friendly source of protein, fiber and other nutrients like folic acid, iron, and magnesium. But more important than that this recipe is delicious.

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This recipes uses brown lentils and red kidney beans. To ensure even cooking both are soaked overnight before using. I do have an Instant Pot recipe for red beans that does not require soaking. Camellia brand was used since in Louisiana they are consistently good.

The ingredients should be prepared before we start cooking.

Lentils: Soak one cup of lentils overnight (or at least 4 hours)

Red Kidney Beans: Soak one cup of red kidney beans overnight (or at least 4 hours)

Garlic: Two Tablespoons of minced garlic.

Ginger: One Tablespoon minced ginger.

Onion: One and a half cups of finely diced onion.

Tomato: One cup of finely diced tomato. This was two roma tomatoes cut up. Roma tomatoes are very consistent year round so I like to use them in recipes.

Note: If tomatoes are a gout trigger for you leave them out.

Cumin: Two teaspoons of cumin seeds.

Coriander Powder: One teaspoon of Coriander Powder.

Garam Masala: One teaspoon of Garam Masala.

Chili Powder: Kashmiri Red chili powder was used. It has a nice color and taste without being crazy hot. You could always use any red pepper that you like and matches your heat tolerance.

Turmeric Powder: One teaspoon of turmeric powder. Some recipes you will find on line do not use turmeric powder but it is a great anti inflammatory. As someone who suffers from gout and rheumatoid arthritis that is a good thing so I add some.

Salt: One and a half teaspoons of salt were used. This matched my taste, you may need to adjust.

Push the Sauté button on your Instant Pot. Add one Tablespoon of oil and let it warm up. The oil will start to pool up on the side of the pot. When the oil is warm add your cumin seeds and mix with the oil. We want to fry them in oil.

When the cumin seeds start to pop or crackle add the onions. Cook until the onions start to soften up.

When the onions start to soften up add the garlic, ginger and spices. Keep stirring and cook for about three minutes to toast the spices. You do not want to burn the spices. If they start to stick add your tomatoes early.

After your spices have toasted add the tomatoes.

Cook the tomatoes (while occasionally stirring) until most of the moisture has escaped and you start to see a little oil seperate. This should take about five minutes.

Add your lentils, red beans and four and a half cups of water. Give it a stir.

Note: If you want to cook this on your stove top everything to this point is the same. At this point on the stove cook until the beans are tender.

If cooking in the Instant Pot put on the lid set the vent to sealing. Press cancel then manuel and set the timer for nine minutes. After the timer has counted down turn off your Instant Pot and let naturally release for twenty minutes.

If you want thicker dal cut back a little on the water.

While the dal is cooking wash and dry a big handful of cilantro. Then chop it up. Measure out a quarter cup of almond milk yogurt.

After the Instant Pot has naturally released for twenty minutes turn your vent to release. After steam is no longer coming out of the vent remove the lid.

Stir in the yogurt and cilantro. The dish is now ready to serve.

If you liked this recipe you might also like:

Print Recipe

Instant Pot Dal Makhani 🌶

Simple vegan recipe for dal makhani using the Instant Pot.
Prep Time1 hr
Cook Time40 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Instant Pot, Lentils
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 315kcal
Author: James Strange

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

Spices

  • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Pepper Or Cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons Salt

Main Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Oil
  • 2 teaspoons Cumin Seeds
  • 1 Cup Lentils Soaked overnight
  • 1 Cup Red Beans Soaked overnight
  • 1.5 Cup Onion Diced
  • 1 Cup Tomato Diced, two roma
  • 2 Tablespoons Garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon Ginger
  • 4.5 Cups Water

To Finish

  • 1/4 Cup Almond Milk Yogurt
  • 1/2 Cup Cilantro Chopped

Instructions

  • Push the Sauté button on your Instant Pot. Add one Tablespoon of oil and let it warm up. The oil will start to pool up on the side of the pot. When the oil is warm add your cumin seeds and mix with the oil.
  • When the cumin seeds start to pop or crackle add the onions.
  • When the onions start to soften up add the garlic, ginger and spices. Keep stirring and cook for about three minutes to toast the spices.
  • After your spices have toasted add the tomatoes.
  • Cook the tomatoes (while occasionally stirring) until most of the moisture has escaped and you start to see a little oil seperate.
  • Add your lentils, red beans and four and a half cups of water. Give it a stir.
  • put on the lid set the vent to sealing. Press cancel then manuel and set the timer for nine minutes.
  • After the timer has counted down turn off your Instant Pot and let naturally release for twenty minutes.
  • While the dal is cooking wash and dry a big handful of cilantro. Then chop it up. Measure out a quarter cup of almond milk yogurt.
  • After the Instant Pot has naturally released for twenty minutes turn your vent to release. After steam is no longer coming out of the vent remove the lid.
  • Stir in the yogurt and cilantro. The dish is now ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 900mg | Potassium: 880mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 685IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 6mg

Vegan tofu matar recipe 🍛

By James Strange 4 Comments

While I do enjoy matar paneer (peas and cheese) I am have cut way back on how much cheese I consume. This is definitely helping my waistline. So in this recipe we will replace the cheese with super firm tofu.

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When I was working in Pakistan I do not remember having matar paneer. But it is a dish I love and after some experimentation this is my version. But to please everyone in the family I only use about 1/2 the spices that would be used in an authentic Indian recipe.

Let's talk about the ingredients we will use.

Bay leaves the recipe is going to say two but these were small so we will use three. To prevent choking I always remove them before serving.

Fresh green chili peppers. The recipe really needs some fresh green chili. These are from a local Indian market and very spicy. Use whatever kind your comfortable eating. Taking out the seeds and membranes will help reduce the fire.

Cilantro AKA soap weed. I love the stuff others (my wife) hate it. If you like it at the very end of cooking add some and mix it in.

Onion this dish needs lots of onion. For this dish the onion should be finely diced.

Tofu, we used extra firm tofu. To give it a better texture freeze it then defrost it. Before using I use my hands to squeeze out just a bit more water. If you do not want to use your hands or can only find firm tofu you can use a tofu press. Or even just put between something heavy and let the water come out.

Garlic and ginger. Fresh is best but today I used the stuff out of the jar. Let's face it convenience sometimes wins. But either way you want to use more garlic than ginger.

Salt. We will use salt for flavor and to help pull moisture out of the veggies. Before starting I put 1/2 a teaspoon into a small bowl to use a various steps. But I did add a pinch more at the end.

Spices that we will use from our Spice Box are:

Kashmiri chili powder. You can use red chili powder just keep in mind that Indian chili powder is spicy. You may want to adjust how much you use.

Coriander powder is made from cilantro seeds. But it taste nothing like the plant.

Garam Masala is a spice blend when choosing one read the ingredients. The ingredients will vary wildly between companies that make the blend.

Turmeric historically it has been used to treat several diseases including rheumatism. Does it help? I am not sure but it taste good.

Note if you have an Indian market close by they usually have the best prices for spices.

Tomatoes since it's not the best time of the year for tomatoes we used Roma tomatoes. You want to use roughly 1.5 times the amount of onion.

Peas if you can find fresh ones use them but these are frozen.

Red onion serve some on the side.

First chop the tofu into bite sized pieces then sprinkle on some salt. Let the salt soak in while preparing everything else.

Add two Tablespoons of Safflower Oil to a pan on medium heat. When the oil is hot add the tofu and brown on two sides. You can brown on more sides but two works for me. Remove the tofu and set aside.

To the pan with the oil left from frying the tofu add the onion, garlic, ginger, green chili pepper and a pinch of salt. The salt will help the onion release its liquid and break down.

Cook on medium to medium low heat to brown the onions. This took me about ten minutes.

At this point you need to decide if you want to keep adding oil or use water. I decided on the healthier water so I added two tablespoons of water and my spices with the remaining salt. Then cooked for two more minutes.

If you decide for oil use 1/2 a Tablespoon of oil then add the spices and cook for two minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook on medium heat until they have broken down. If the mixture starts to get dry add a little water (or oil) as needed. This took me about five minutes.

At this point we are ready to add 2/3 cup of water. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. When it comes to a boil add the tofu and frozen peas.

When most of the water has cooked off give it a taste test. If it needs more salt add it now. I added just a pinch more.

Now add the chopped cilantro and cook for one more minute then serve.

Print Recipe

Vegan Tofu Matar Recipe🍽

Simple recipe for Matter Tofu (peas and tofu) Recipe
Prep Time45 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: tofu, Vegan
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 256kcal
Author: James Strange

Ingredients

Tofu

  • 8 oz Extra Firm Tofu
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 Tablespoons Safflower oil

Vegetables

  • 1 Cup Onion Finely Diced
  • 1 Tablespoon Garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger
  • 1 Tablespoon Green Chili
  • 1.5 Cup Tomato Finely Diced

Spice Mix

  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 2 each Bay Leaves

Finish

  • 2 Tablespoon Cilantro Fresh / chopped

Instructions

Tofu

  • Cut the tofu into bite sized pieces then sprinkle on some salt.
  • Add two Tablespoons of Safflower Oil to a pan on medium heat. When the oil is hot add the tofu and brown on two sides.
  • Remove the tofu and set aside.

Veggies

  • To the pan with the oil left from frying the tofu add the onion, garlic, ginger, green chili pepper and a pinch of salt.
  • Cook on medium to medium low heat to brown the onions.
  • Add two tablespoons of water and the spices. Then cook for two minutes.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and cook on medium heat until they have broken down. Add water as needed.

Finish

  • At this point we are ready to add 2/3 cup of water. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil.
  • After it comes to a boil add the tofu and frozen peas.
  • When most of the water has cooked off adjust seasoning
  • Add chopped cilantro and cook for one more minute

Notes

For a more authentic flavor double the spices used. 

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 716mg | Potassium: 556mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1168IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2mg

Instant pot rajma recipe 🧅

By James Strange Leave a Comment

My Fitness Pal has been telling me that my protein intake has been low. Rajma or red beans with flavorful spices is tasty way to get my protein. Using the instant pot makes it quick and I do not have to stand over the stove. 

JamesStrange.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. In simple terms, this means that if you click and buy something, we are paid a fee. This fee is used to help recover some of the costs of running the site.

Here in Louisiana Red Beans and Rice are commonly served on Mondays. The problem for gout sufferers is they normally are loaded with Andouille sausage. As much as I love the stuff it is made with cuts of meats that can cause gout flare ups.

Working in Pakistan allowed me to experience vegetable dishes cooked in ways that I did not miss the meat. The people in Pakistan do eat meat. The summers are very hot (hottest I experienced was 123F with high humidity). The high heat makes it hard for the body to digest large amounts of meat. So in the summertime people turn to more vegetable dishes.

Soaked Red Beans

Soaked Red Beans

Start by soaking one pound (2 1/4 cups) of red beans overnight. It's not a requirement to soak them but they turn out more creamy when they have been soaked. When I can get them I use Camellia brand. More important than the brand name is the beans need to be fresh. Also never use hard water to cook your beans. Beans cooked in hard water will never get soft.

Check to make sure you do not have any rocks etc in your beans. Give them a rinse with cold water. Place them in a pot or bowl and cover by at least two inches. After soaking overnight they will be almost double in size.

Ingredients for Rajma

Ingredients for Rajma

Time to prepare all of our vegetables. By chopping the vegetables up in small pieces allows them to break down into a sauce (for lack of a better term). One medium red onion finely diced (3/4 Cup), two cups finely diced tomato, two teaspoons finely diced ginger, two teaspoons finely diced garlic, two teaspoons finely diced spicy green pepper (I used the ones from and Indian market but serranos work great).

Measure out the spices. One teaspoon cumin seeds, two pieces of cinnamon stick, one teaspoon paprika, one teaspoon garam masala, one teaspoon mango powder (coriander is what is normally used but I like mango powder), one teaspoon salt (this is on the low end most people will want around one Tablespoon), one half teaspoon black pepper, one half teaspoon turmeric.

We will also needs two cups of water and one and a half Tablespoons of cooking oil.

Remember how many cinnamon sticks you use it is better to remove them before serving. Mine are usually on top after cooking.

Plug in your Instant Pot and press saute and add one and a half Tablespoons of cooking oil.

Adding Cumin and Cinnamon

Adding Cumin and Cinnamon

When the oil gets hot add the cumin seeds and cinnamon sticks. The cumin needs to be in the oil so that the seeds will crackle and release flavor. After the cumin seeds have opened up add your onion, garlic, ginger and green pepper. Cook this while occasionally stirring until the onion gets some brown spots.

Added Tomatoes

Added Tomatoes

After the onion gets some brown spots add the tomato. Cook this while occasionally stirring for five minutes.

Adding Spices to the Red Beans

Adding Spices to the Red Beans

Add your soaked beans, remaining spices and two cups of water.

Ready to Cook

Ready to Cook

After giving it a stir it's now ready to cook.

Instant Pot Set

Instant Pot Set for 30 Minutes

In manual mode set the timer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes. For richness top with some evaporated coconut milk.

Similar recipes you might also enjoy:

Instant pot dal makhani recipe

Tofu matar recipe

Instant Pot Rajma Recipe

Instant Pot Rajma Recipe

Instant Pot Rajma Recipe
Print Recipe

Instant Pot Rajma Recipe

Red Beans cooked in the Instant Pot with flavorful spices makes a quick and tasty meal
Prep Time1 hr
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time9 hrs 30 mins
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Gout Friendly, Indian, Instant Pot, Vegan
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 187kcal
Author: James Strange

Ingredients

  • 1 pound red beans
  • 3/4 Cup red onion
  • 2 teaspoons ginger
  • 2 teaspoons garlic
  • 2 teaspoons serrano pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 each cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon mango powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons peanut oil
  • 6 Tablespoons evaporated coconut milk
  • 2 Cups Water

Instructions

  • Start by soaking one pound (2 1/4 cups) of red beans overnight.
    Soaked Red Beans
  • Time to prepare all of our vegetables. One medium purple onion finely diced (3/4 Cup), two cups finely diced tomato, two teaspoons finely diced ginger, two teaspoons finely diced garlic, two teaspoons finely diced spicy green pepper
    Ingredients for Rajma
  • Measure out the spices. One teaspoon cumin seeds, two pieces of cinnamon stick, one teaspoon paprika, one teaspoon garam masala, one teaspoon mango powder, one teaspoon salt, one half teaspoon black pepper, one half teaspoon turmeric.
  • Plug in your Instant Pot and press saute and add one and a half Tablespoons of cooking oil.
  • When the oil gets hot add the cumin seeds and cinnamon sticks. The cumin needs to be in the oil so that the seeds will crackle and release flavor. After the cumin seeds have opened up add your onion, garlic, ginger and green pepper. Cook this while occasionally stirring until the onion gets some brown spots.
    Adding Cumin and Cinnamon
  • After the onion gets some brown spots add the tomato. Cook this while occasionally stirring for five minutes
    Added Tomatoes
  • Add your soaked beans, remaining spices and two cups of water.
    Adding Spices to the Red Beans
  • In manual mode set the timer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks.
    Instant Pot Set
  • For richness top with some evaporated coconut milk.
    Instant Pot Rajma Recipe

Nutrition

Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 333mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 7.4mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 3.6mg