Instant Pot Vegan Biryani

After a many months/years hiatus, I’m back! This time at home has allowed me the space to get creative with food and I want to share some tips/tricks/ideas I’ve pieced together with all of you! So, to kick things off, here is a recipe for Instant Pot Vegan Biryani. A note - I know the ingredients list might look daunting, but it can all be found in your local Indian grocery store very easily and once you have all the ingredients they will last in your pantry for a long time. So, roll up your sleeves and enjoy cooking up this big ol’ pot of fluffy, steamy, vegan biryani (spiced, flavored rice)!

Vegan biryani

Ingredients

• (For marinade)
• 2 tsp Garam masala
• 1 tblsp ginger (fresh grated, diced from a jar, or frozen cube defrosted)
• 1 tblsp garlic (fresh sliced, diced from a jar, or frozen cube defrosted)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne 
• 1/2 tsp turmeric 
• 2 tblsp lemon juice (fresh or from a bottle)
• A can of full fat coconut milk
• Salt to taste (usually 1-2 tsp)
• Half a bag of frozen veggie meatballs
• Half a bag of frozen falafels
• Note: use what you can get; I get both the veggie meatballs and falafels from Trader Joe’s 
• Optional - sliced bell pepper, sliced mushrooms, frozen peas, frozen carrots
• (Other ingredients)
• 2 cups Basmati rice (white or brown)
• 2 cups water
• 2 yellow or red onions sliced (or half a bag of frozen chopped onions)
• Some type of neutral oil (I prefer Canola; olive oil will NOT work for this)
• (Whole Spices)
• 5 cardamom pods
• 5 whole cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
• (Topping)
•  Fried onions (Indian store kind)
• Cashews (or walnuts)
• Saffron 
• Whole, dried red chilies (1-3 depending on desired spice level)

Instructions

1. Prepare the marinade by mixing all the marinade ingredients (it should be a nice orange/peachy color, if not then add a touch more of turmeric). Add frozen veggie meatballs/frozen falafels and coat evenly with the marinade. (Optional: add a sliced green bell pepper and a handful of sliced mushrooms, or a cup of frozen peas and carrots for additional veggies) Set aside.
2. In a fine mesh colander, rinse the rice (until the water runs clear underneath) and then add to a large bowl. Add enough water to cover the rice. Set aside. 
3. Turn the Instant Pot on to sauté. Add 2 tbsp of oil, or enough to just coat the bottom (I use canola) and add thinly sliced onions (or frozen chopped onions; add an additional 10 minutes for cooking time). Cook down the onions until they soften and become a dark golden/brown.
4. Add whole spices: cardamom pods, whole cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds and fennel seeds and stir fry for a couple of minutes until you can smell the spices.
5. Add the marinated mixture to the instant pot and mix well. Turn off the pot.
6. Drain the rice and gently pour over the mixture (DO NOT MIX, gently spread over the top evenly). Add 2 tsp of salt (or to taste, you can always add more later). Add 2 cups of water. Make sure that all the rice is under the water (you can pat down the rice with a spoon to submerge it). Put the lid on, close the IP and set the valve to close/seal. Set manual pressure to 10 minutes. Once it’s done, let it natural release for at least 10 minutes; quick release after. 
7. Open the Instant Pot. Gently fluff the rice with a fork, and using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently mix everything together (the rice, mixture on the bottom etc) - it should look moist (but not watery or wet) and you will smell the aroma of spices!
8. In a small, dry, nonstick pan, add fried onions (or raw sliced shallots if you prefer), cashews (or walnuts), split dried red chilies, and a pinch of saffron (optional) - stir fry on medium high heat for a few minutes until the cashews (walnuts) start to slightly toast and brown. Add on top of the biryani for a fun crunch! 

Ps - this recipe is very forgiving, so feel free to leave out anything you might not have or sub in things you think might work! 

California Avocado Toast

Mornings are usually a blur in my life. Let's face it, for most people who work traditional jobs (9-5, or rather 8-6 if you add commute times), mornings are a blur. 

However, the above is the result of a weekday morning where I took 10 extra minutes, slowed myself down and actually ate breakfast! Was it worth it? You mean was it worth not giving a damn about traffic, people at work watching the clock or my own brain not shutting up about being late? Abso-freakin-lutely! Here's why: the traffic was as usual, the drive took no longer, no one at work really pays attention, and my brain was so much more relaxed and focused after a happy stomach happened. 

So what exactly is that? That, my friends, is the result of having moved to southern California almost 3 years ago. That is an Avocado Toast. Doesn't sound very glamorous, but believe me, my mouth was throwing a party as I ate! And as I mentioned, Mrs. Stomach was a happy camper. 

Within 5-10 minutes I created this concoction: starting with a nutty multigrain slice of bread from Trader Joe's (toasted, of course), slices of half a hass avocado, generous sprinkling of lemon pepper, a thin layer of low fat cottage cheese, and finally a gentle sprinkling of this amazing Mexican spice I discovered recently: Tajín. It's one of those "umami" flavors - really hard to describe, but I'm pretty sure extremely hard to resist. It's a little sour, a little salty, a little spicy - I'm smacking my lips just thinking about it! The first time I ate it was outside a museum in downtown LA - it was being sold from a fruit cart - they cut up sweet mangoes and topped it with this spice, and boy was it a treat on that hot, summer day!

My 250-calorie breakfast was delicious, filling, quick, and the best part? It helped my morning off to a great start. I took a little while for myself - self-care - and it was beautiful. Self-care doesn't really have to be elaborate, you know - a few minutes here, a few minutes there, just a little bit of time and space just for you doing exactly that which brings you joy and happiness. Because really, true health comes from our heart and soul! 

Taste of the Himalayas

Salmon Tandoori @ "Taste of the Himalayas" in La Jolla, CA

As the year came to a close, we decided to trek down to one of our favorite spots in southern California - La Jolla (San Diego). A cool, misty mini-hike around the scenic bluffs of Torrey Pines got our energy high and our stomachs growling! So we made our way to downtown La Jolla and to our old time favorite restaurant: "Taste of the Himalayas" (https://www.yelp.com/biz/taste-of-the-himalayas-la-jolla-2) (http://www.tasteofthehimalayassandiego.com/)

We were eager to start eating so we ordered an appetizer of samosas - and though not greater than normal - something about the piping hot crispy, potato-ey samosas - especially on a chilly, gray afternoon - felt quite satisfying! After a few more minutes of waiting and the arrival of another so-so dish (Paneer achari - pickled sauce) - came out the sizzling platter we had driven all this way for!

I started making space on the table a few seconds before the dish (Salmon Tandoori) arrived - simply because my ears perked up and I could hear the sizzling plate making its way out of the kitchen. The bubbling hot cast iron skillet showed up and the vegetables at the bottom were still sizzling around browning themselves! The tender, perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned plump little pieces of salmon rested gently on top of the medley of veggies.

The hubby and I took about 5 seconds ogling the dish, grinning at each other, and dug right in! The succulent fish, the crispy carrots, sweet onions, and various other veggies melted in our mouths as we rapidly worked our way through the meal. Moments later we sat back - our mouths full, stomachs happy, hearts satisfied! What a great end to the year - what a great moment to look forward to a new year. I hope our days are always filled with such meals - delicious, soul satisfying, delectable delights!

An Old Fashioned for the New Year

Cheers, my friends! 

As I bid adieu to a year almost over, I must admit, I am quite happy to see it go. Here is to new beginnings, happier times, and a peaceful year ahead. I welcome you to join me on my journey. A journey of culinary experiences. Restaurants - small and large, known and hidden, fast and fancy! Home cooking - simple, complex, rushed, and everything in between. And food in general - thoughts, feelings, chocolates that soothe the soul, etc.

In my farewell to 2016, I must thank it for one thing - an Old Fashioned. As pictured, an Old Fashioned is a delicious drink that I happened upon in Portland, Oregon. Yes, it is a classic drink - Yes, most people probably know about it - No, I really had never had one before this year. It's a simple drink really - sugar and orange bitters muddled together, a shot of bourbon on top, a XL square ice cube and a rind of fresh citrus. But boy was it delicious! I must attribute some of its pleasure to the atmosphere itself. 

The husband and I were in Portland for a long weekend - and we happened upon this small bar/lounge. Very mellow, a little romantic, and filled with people like us - aging millennials, just looking for peace and happiness - and no labels. The place is called "The Box Social" and was filled with bottles of all kinds - and lovely lighting - a tasteful peacock design on the top shelf. (For more pictures: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-box-social-portland & http://www.bxsocial.com/)

As the light outside dimmed and we worked our way through our first drinks - non-memorable now - the atmosphere and our conversation turned gentle and pleasant. As we decided on a spur to order a second round of drinks - very uncommon for us - I picked out an Old Fashioned. I also ordered a bowl of goldfish - yes, the crackers from our childhood. The combo was so delightful - a happy memory of warm candles, loving company, the end of a day exploring a new city, and a delicious drink with a childhood snack. It's the moment I want to take from this year - it's the moment I want to relish in years to come. 

Our world is full of negatives - thoughts, actions, events. We often forget to look at the positives, the moments that made us warm and fuzzy, the events that actually spurred positive emotions. But food? It comes to life for me - it brings me a lot of the positive moments. If I ponder over food, I can grasp the positive moments of life. And I hope - so can you!