Speedy Chana Masala with Instant Pot®

Ingredients 0/22

Step 1

Rins the rice well under cold water and placing it in a small oven-safe dish that fits inside your Instant Pot. Cover it with water and set it aside for now. In a small bowl, mix together all the spices—cumin seeds, amchur, coriander, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, pepper, and cayenne—and keep that handy.

Step 2

Add the chickpeas to the Instant Pot and pour in 2 cups of cold water. Lock the lid in place and set it to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes for the pressure to build up. When the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully release any leftover pressure manually. Remove the lid and take out the chickpeas, saving the cooking liquid for later.

Step 3

Turn on the sauté function and heat some oil in the pot. Toss in the onion, carrot, and bay leaf, cooking until the onion softens and becomes translucent—about 5 minutes. Stir in your spice mix along with garlic, ginger, Thai chile, and a quarter cup of the reserved chickpea liquid. Sauté this for another minute until it smells amazing, then turn off the sauté mode.

Step 4

Add the chickpeas back in along with the rest of the cooking liquid, canned tomatoes, and tomato paste. Place a trivet inside the pot. Drain the rice and add fresh water to the dish, then set the dish on top of the trivet. Seal the lid again and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes, allowing another 10 to 15 minutes for the pressure to build.

Step 5

Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure. Open the lid, lift out the rice dish, and fluff the rice with a fork. Remove the trivet and bay leaf from the pot. To get a nice creamy texture, pulse just a few chickpeas with an immersion blender—2 or 3 quick bursts should do it.

Step 6

Serve the rice and chana masala evenly on plates and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro. Enjoy!