Kerala Matta Rice in Instant Pot

Kerala Matta Rice is an indigenous variety of rice grown in Palakkad district of Kerala, India. It is also known as Palakkadan Matta Rice or Kerala Red Rice or Kerala Kuthari.

Cooking matta rice in a saucepan will take nearly 45 minutes to 1 hour. The rice to water ratio is 1:5. Once the rice is cooked, excess water is drained using a colander.

If we are cooking this in pressure cooker, we need to cook on low flame for 3-4 whistles. Rice to water ratio is 1:5. With pressure cooker, we can always expect a spill over on stove top and always need to have a close watch till you stove off the stove. We can overcome these disadvantages by using an Instant top Pressure cooker. Put the rice and water in InstantPot, turn on, set the timer and completely forget about it. There is no worry of counting the number of whistles or spilling. The Instant Pot model which I used here is IP-DUO 60 6Qt.

Ingredients:
1. Red rice - 1 cup
2. Water - 5 cup

Method:

1. Wash the rice 3-4 times until the water runs clear.
2. Transfer into Instant pot and add 5 cups of water.
3. Close the lid and make sure the steam release handle is in "Sealing" position.
4. Click on "Pressure Cook" option and set the timer to 10 minutes.
5. After cooking is finished, let the rice rest for 20 minutes and then release any remaining pressure by turning the steam release handle.
6. Drain the water in a colander and perfect red rice is ready to serve.

Vangyachi Bhaji | Eggplant curry

Ingredients:

1. Eggplants/Brinjal - 3-4
2. Onion - 1 medium
3. Tomato - 1 medium
4. Ginger garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
5. Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
6. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
7. Asafoetida/Hing - 2 pinches
8. Curry leaves - few 
9. Green chili - 1 
10. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
11. Red chilli powder -  1/2 teaspoon
12. Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon
13. Ghoda masala or garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon 
14. Roasted and crushed peanuts/groundnuts - 2 tablespoon
15. Jaggery - small piece 
16. Oil - 2 tablespoon
17. Salt to taste
18. Coriander leaves - handful

Method:

1. Wash and cut eggplant into small pieces. Soak them in water to avoid discoloration. 
2. Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan and splutter mustard and cumin seeds. 
3. Add hing, curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste and saute for few seconds.
4. Add finely chopped onion and saute until they turn translucent.
5. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt to taste. Mix well and saute for few seconds.
6. Add finely chopped tomato. Cover and cook till tomatoes turn mushy.
7. Add chopped eggplant and mix well. Add a tablespoon of water and cover and cook on low flame until eggplants are well done.
8. Before turning off the stove, add crushed peanuts and jaggery.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti/rice.

For this month's "Shhhhh Cooking Secretly" event, we have chosen the theme of Maharashtrian cuisine. My partner for this month is Shobha Keshwani who gave me peanuts and brinjal as my secret ingredients and I made this typical Maharashtrian dish. I had given her Sweet potatoes and chilies, of which she made Ratalyacha Kees, a grated sweet potato stir fry. Do visit her blog "Shobha's Food Maaza" for a collection of delicious recipes.

Jeera Rice in Instant Pot

Instant Pot used is IP-DUO 60 6 Qt

Ingredients:

1. Basmati Rice - 1 cup
2. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1 teaspoon
3. Ghee - 2 teaspoon
4. Cardamom - 1
5. Cloves - 2
6. Bay leaf - 1
7. Cinnamon - small piece
8. Coriander leaves - a handful
9. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and drain the basmatic rice and set aside.
2. Turn on "Saute" mode in Instant pot. When the display shows hot, add ghee.
3. Add the cumin seeds and whole spices and saute for a minute.
4. Add the washed rice and stir for a minute.
5. Add 1.5 cup water and salt to taste.
6. Cancel Saute mode and turn on Pressure Cook. Set the time to 4 minutes.
7. After 4 minutes, wait for 5 minutes and quick release pressure.
8. Once the safety valve goes down, open the lid and garnish with coriander leaves.

Do check out the recipe in youtube video.