Pressure Cooker Shrimp Biryani
The key to cooking shrimp biryani in an electric pressure cooker is to buy jumbo shrimp, which won’t overcook in the amount of time it takes to cook the rice. This version, from Chandra Ram’s “The Complete Indian Instant Pot Cookbook,” is bright with ginger root, fresh curry leaves and plenty of lime juice. Kashmiri chile is a very mild red chile powder that can be found in Indian markets, but if you can’t get it, substitute three parts sweet paprika and one part cayenne. And if you can’t get the fresh curry leaves, simply leave them out. The dish won’t be quite as fragrant, but will still be delicious.
- Total:
- Serves: 6 persons
Ingredients
- 2cups basmati rice
- 2teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1onion, chopped
- 1Serrano chile, minced
- 2tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 1tablespoon minced garlic
- 2teaspoons kosher salt
- 1teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder
- 1teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1teaspoon smoked paprika
- 10fresh curry leaves, torn into pieces
- 1 ½cups boiling water
- 1 ½pounds jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 or fewer per pound, see note), peeled and deveined
- 1(15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
- 2teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more wedges for serving
- ½cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
Step 1
Place the rice in a bowl and cover with 2 cups water. Let stand for 20 minutes, then drain and rinse.Step 2
Heat oil in the pot of an electric pressure cooker with the sauté function set on high, until oil is shimmering. Add onion; cook for about 4 minutes, until softened. Stir in Serrano chile, ginger, garlic, salt, chile powder, turmeric, paprika and curry leaves; cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.Step 3
Stir in boiling water; using a wooden spoon, stir, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Stir in soaked rice, shrimp and tomatoes (with juice).Step 4
Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Quick-release the pressure, stir lime juice into the rice, then cover the pressure cooker with a kitchen towel and let it sit for 5 minutes.Step 5
Give rice a stir, then taste and add more salt, if needed. Transfer to a platter, garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side.