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Instant Pot Masoor Dal (Red Lentil Dahl)

If you have all ingredients chopped and measured before you start, it will be easier and faster.

Ingredients

  • 1 TBS coconut oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 1 sprig curry leaves (optional, can be replaced with 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro)
  • 1-inch piece ginger, grated or crushed into a paste
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 medium tomatoes, finely diced
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 TBS ground coriander
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup red lentils (masoor dal), rinsed and drained
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk (canned)
  • Salt to taste
  • Lemon juice for squeezing on top

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in an Instant Pot using the Saute function set to Normal. (Press the Saute button to toggle between Less, Normal, and More.) Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to sputter, add the onions, curry leaves or cilantro, ginger and garlic.
  2. Saute, stirring frequently, until the onions soften and just start to brown. Add the tomatoes, turmeric, coriander powder, and red pepper flakes and mix well. Let the tomatoes cook 3-4 minutes until they are broken down and very pulpy. Stir a couple of times during cooking. Hit Cancel.
  3. Add the lentils to the pot and stir to mix, then add 3 cups water. Give everything a good stir then click in the Instant Pot lid set to Sealing. Set the IP to Pressure Cook for 10 minutes.
  4. After cooking, wait either until the pressure releases naturally, or, if you’re in a rush, wait 10 minutes after the end of cooking, then carefully quick-release according to instructions.
  5. Using a ladle, stir in the coconut milk and salt to taste. At this point you can garnish with more cilantro, if you like, or serve as is. Always top the dal with a final squeeze of lemon juice for the perfect finish. The dal will thicken up considerably as it cools or if leftover. Add more water as needed.
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Bistro Beet Burgers (Vegan)

Adapted by LKD from Isa Does It: Amazingly Easy,  Wildly Delicious Vegan Recipes for Every Day of the Week, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

  • 1 1/4 c. cooked and cooled brown rice
  • 1 c. cooked brown lentils
  • 1 c. shredded beets
  • 1/2 c. very fine dry breadcrumbs (I use panko)
  • 2 Tbs. smooth almond butter
  • Spice blend:
    • 1  tsp. granulated onion
    • 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
    • 1  tsp. dried thyme, rubbed between your fingers
    • 1/2 tsp. ground fennel seeds
    • 1 tsp. dry mustard
    • 1/2 tsp. salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Avocado or other neutral oil, for greasing the pan
  • Buns
  • Condiments of your choosing

Put the brown rice, lentils, and shredded beets in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse 15 to 20 times, until the mixture comes together but still has texture. It should look like ground meat.

Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Mix in almond butter and breadcrumbs. Mix in spice blend. Use your hands to mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (or cover and refrigerate overnight if you want to mix it up the day before).

Preheat a cast iron pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Form six patties, making them each about 1/2″ thick.

Pour a thin layer of oil in the hot pan. Cook the patties for about 12 minutes, flipping occasionally. Drizzle in a little more oil as needed. The burgers should be lightly charred and crusty and heated through.

Adapted by LKD from Isa Does It: Amazingly Easy,  Wildly Delicious Vegan Recipes for Every Day of the Week, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

 

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Refried Beans Without the Refry (Crock Pot)

1 medium onion, peeled and halved
1 lb. dry pinto beans, rinsed and drained
½ fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cumin, optional
6 cups water

Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 6-8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.

Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.

Adapted from https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/70312/refried-beans-without-the-refry/

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Ten Minute Enchilada Sauce

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons flour (gluten-free is fine)
  • ¼ cup New Mexico or California chili powder
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion salt
  • salt to taste

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour and chili powder and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour.

Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion salt into the flour and chili powder until smooth, and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, approximately 10 minutes or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt.

Adapted from https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/61727/ten-minute-enchilada-sauce/

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Cocoa Hot Fudge Sauce

Adapted from https://chocolatechocolateandmore.com/cocoa-hot-fudge-sauce/

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, half and half or whole milk (I used half and half, perfect)
  • 1/4 cup butter (half stick)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  1. In a 2 quart saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa and milk, stirring with a whisk until completely combined and smooth.
  2. Turn heat on stove to medium and stirring occasionally, bring to a boil.
  3. Stir in butter and continue to boil until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and salt. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving over ice cream. Store in container in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave for 30 seconds at a time until warm.
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Cheesecake (Instant Pot)

Adapted from https://rootitoot.com/recipes-and-cooking/desserts/rootitoot-cheesecake/. I use a 6″ Fat Daddio push pan in my 3 qt. IP Mini. Great with Lemon Curd (Instant Pot).

Ingredients:

Crust:
3/4 cup graham, chocolate or vanilla wafer crumbs (about 6.5 graham rectangles)
2 tsp sugar (optional; I don’t add it)
2.5 Tbsp melted butter

Filling;
2 8-oz packages cream cheese
2/3 (or lightly less) cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp grated lemon zest (optional)
2 eggs (warm 5 minutes in a bowl of warm water)

Topping (optional, I usually don’t add this):
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

The recipe and cook times are for a 6” cheesecake pan. Adjusted times for other pan sizes are included below. It is not necessary to line the side of the pan with parchment paper. It buckles and mars the edge. No need to cover it with tin foil before cooking, either. This is a very simple recipe.

CRUST:

Line the bottom of a 6″ push pan with parchment. Pulse graham crackers in food processor. Mix in sugar and melted butter. Gently press it in the bottom of the pan and up the sides a bit if you like. Put it in the freezer for about 45 minutes while you mix the filling.

FILLING:

Place the cream cheese in a glass mixing bowl. Microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring after each time, until soft and very smooth. Using a whisk, mix all ingredients except the eggs until completely smooth. Mix the eggs lightly with a fork. Add the eggs and whisk until just incorporated. Overbeating with the eggs in the batter is the main cause of cracking on the surface of a cheesecake. It isn’t a big deal and the top of the cheesecake will be hidden with whatever topping you choose, but to avoid cracks, try not to over mix it.

Put 1 cup water into the Instant Pot liner. Place the cheesecake on the red silicone trivet, cover with a silicone stretchy lid, and carefully lift into the IP. It’s a tight fit in the 3 qt IP. Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Hit Pressure Cook (or Manual) and use the + and – buttons to get to 32 minutes for a 6-inch pan. (See other sizes and times below).

When it beeps that it’s done, leave it for a 15-minute natural release. Then flip the valve to Venting for a quick release. When the pin drops, take out the cheesecake.

It may appear “jiggly.” That’s good. It will firm up as it chills. It may have some condensation on the surface. If so, gently blot it with a paper towel. Cool on the counter for an hour. It will settle down and flatten out.

TOPPING (optional):

Whisk the sour cream or yogurt, sugar and vanilla. Spread over the cheesecake. Cover the cheesecake and refrigerate it in the pan overnight. (This is important!)

To serve, run a paring knife around the edge to release it from the side of the pan. If using a push pan, set it on a peanut butter jar or a can of tomatoes and pull the ring straight down. Voila. Perfect cheesecake.

It’s great the way it is, but it’s delicious topped with something: lemon curd, sliced mangoes, berries, etc.

PAN SIZE AND COOK TIMES:

6-inch pan — 29 minutes (31 for dense texture)
7-inch pan — 26 minutes (28 for dense texture)
8-inch pan — 24 minutes (26 for dense texture)
4-inch pans or Individual ramekins or mason jars — 12 minutes

For 1 1/2 times the recipe:

7–inch pan — 29 minutes (32 for a dense texture)
8-inch pan — 27 minutes (30 for a dense texture)

For two times the recipe:

8-inch pan — 33 minutes (35 for a dense texture)

Variations:
Drunken Cheesecake
Add up to 2 tablespoons of any liquor or liqueur to the basic cheesecake recipe without adjusting the other ingredients. If adding 2-4 tablespoons, add an extra egg yolk.

Key Lime Cheesecake
Add 1/4 cup key lime juice, 2 tsp lime zest, 3 additional Tbsp sugar, and one egg yolk to the basic batter. Add 1 minute to the cooking time. Everything else is the same. When it is chilled, decorate with whipped cream and lime zest or toasted coconut.

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Eastern North Carolina Barbecue Sauce

Note from Laura: This is the closest to what I think of as North Carolina (Raleigh) barbecue. This makes the right amount of sauce for up to a pound of cooked, pulled pork. (The carnitas at Nature’s Best is perfect for this.)

Ready In: 3 Hours 10 Minutes
Servings: 2

“Piquant and spicy, this vinegar-based sauce popular in Eastern North Carolina is not for lightweights! It’s great for all meats, but best on pork.”

Ingredients:
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1-1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 ½ tsp. Frank’s hot pepper sauce

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together cider vinegar, salt, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, light brown sugar, and hot pepper sauce. Stir until salt and brown sugar have dissolved. Cover, and let stand at least 3 hours before using as a basting sauce or serving on meat.

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Cheesy cornbread (Instant Pot)

For 3 qt Instant Pot Mini

  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 3/8 cup flour
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 5/8 cups grated sharp cheddar (2 1/2 oz)
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, minced (optional)
  • 1 scallion, minced (optional)
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen OK)
  • 3/8 cup buttermilk (or 1 tsp vinegar plus milk to equal 3/8 c)
  • 2 T butter, melted
  • 1 egg
  1. Grease 6″ push pan and line bottom with parchment round.
  2. In mixing bowl combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in cheese, jalapeño, and scallion. Stir in corn.
  3. Combine buttermilk, butter,  and egg, mixing well. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until combined.
  4. Pour batter into prepared push pan, spreading evenly. Cover with silicone lid or greased foil (optional). Pour 1 c water into IP liner. Place push pan on silicone trivet and lower into liner.
  5. Close IP lid and set valve to Sealing. Pressure cook for 27 minutes, followed by  15 minutes natural release, then release remaining pressure.

Adapted from https://rootitoot.com/recipes-and-cooking/breakfast-breads-and-sandwiches/cheesy-jalape%C3%B1o-cornbread/.

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Lemon Curd (Instant Pot)

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup melted butter (75.6g or 2.7oz)
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • Small pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp grated lemon zest
  • 2/3 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Directions:
Add all ingredients in order into a blender container. Blend until combined. (Alternative: Use a whisk to mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.) Pour into a heat-safe glass bowl. I use a Pyrex 4 c. food storage container. Don’t use a metal container.

Add 1 c. water to Instant Pot liner (3 qt.). Place Pyrex with ingredients on the silicone trivet and use the sling to carefully set the trivet in the liner. Cover Pyrex with parchment.

Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Press Pressure Cook and set time for 10 minutes. At the end of the cooking time, do a natural release for 10 minutes, and then release the rest of the pressure.

Remove lemon curd from the pot and carefully blot up any condensation that may have formed. The curd may appear to be “split” – no problem. Whisk vigorously until smooth. At this point, you can strain the curd to remove any egg bits or lemon zest; totally optional. Let cool on the counter for 30 minutes, and then whisk again. Cover and refrigerate. Can be frozen; I freeze in half-pint mason jars.

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Tabbouli (bulgur salad)

An old favorite (adapted by LKD) from my well-worn copy of The Book of Salads, by Sonia Uvezian.

  • 1 c. fine bulgur
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped (or 4 scallions, finely chopped)
  • 1 1/2 c. finely chopped parsley, preferably flat leaf)
  • 1/4 c. finely chopped mint or 1 tsp. crushed dried mint
  • 1/4 c. olive oil
  • 1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 15oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

Soak the bulgur in cold water to cover for about 20 minutes. Drain and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Combine bulgur, onion, parsley, mint, and beans in a bowl. Sprinkle with the oil, lemon juice, and salt and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and chill.