Instapot Chicken Biryani

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds chicken
• 3 cups Extra long grain Basmati rice
• 3 tablespoons ghee divided
• 2 large onions thinly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon anise seeds
• 3 cloves
• 1 small peice of cinnamon
• 4 pieces of cardamon
• 2 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup mint leaves
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon cashew
• 1 tablespoon raisins
• Marinade

• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
• 1/4 teapoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon ginger grated
• 1 tablespoon garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 0.75 cup plain yogurt. Use a cheese cloth to drain the water to get a hung curd effect.
• 2 teaspoon  salt

Instructions:

1. Mix the ingredients of the marinade. Add chicken and coat evenly with the marinade. Seal it with plastic and marinate it at least for 2 hours.
2. Soak the basmati rice in water for 20 mins.
3. Turn the Instant Pot to Saute. After the ‘hot’ sign displays, brush the instapot layer with ghee and saute the cashew and raisins for 2 min and take them out.
4. Next saute of the thinly sliced onions. When they begin to turn golden brown, add 1 teaspoon of ghee and cook stirring them continuously till they reach the desired golden brown consistency (around 5 min) and take them out.
5. Switch off the instapot. If the bottom of the pot is not clean, clean it.
6. Turn the Instant Pot to Saute again. After the ‘hot’ sign displays. Now rest of  the ghee and  the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, anise seeds and the cardamon. Open the cardamon pod. When the anise seeds begin to splutter add add half of the caramelized chicken and the marinated chicken and the liquid from the marinade. Cook the chicken for around 5 minutes. 
7. Drain the rice and gently pour over the chicken. Pour the mint and the coriander over it Add salt. Add 2 cups of water. Close the Instant Pot and turn pressure valve to sealing. Select Manual/Pressure Cook mode and adjust the time to 6 minutes. Let the pressure release automatically.
8. Once the pressure releases, put it in saute mode,  add the cashew and raisins and stir it.
9. Next add the rest of the onions on top.

Inspired by https://ministryofcurry.com/chicken-biryani-instant-pot/

Insta Pot Mushroom Chicken Rice

Ingredients:

•  1 pound chicken (thigh pieces)
•  2 cups of cremini mushroom (sliced)
•  1/2 cup peas
•  1 cup sliced onions
•   1/4 cup sliced spring onion
• 1/2 cup leek
•  2 cups rice
• spices:
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 slice ginger grated
• 4 cloves of garlic sliced
• 1 star anise
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel
• 2 tablespoon sesame oil
• Marinate:
• 2 tablespoon soya sauce
• 2 tablespoon vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon  ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• Gravy:
• 2 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 1 egg
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Instructions:

1. Mix the ingredients of the marinate and marinate the mushroom and chicken in it for at least two hours
2. Put the instapot in saute mode and pour the sesame oil. When the oil is heated, put the star anise and the fennel seeds. Then put the grated ginger and garlic.
3. Put the marinated chicken in the pot and saute it till its half cooked (changing color to white). Be careful that the chicken pieces do not stick to the pot.Then take out the chicken pieces.
4. Put the onion and saute it in the pot. When the onion start turning golden, drain the marinate out of the mushrooms and pour it in pot. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add the salt.
5. Put the leek and the spring onion in the mixture and saute it for another five minutes and then switch off the saute mode.
6. Then pour the mushroom, peas and  the rice and the chicken in that order in the pot  and pressure cook for 10 minutes and then release pressure after 10 minutes
7. While the chicken mushroom rice is being cooked prepare the gravy. Mix the 3 cups of water with cornstarch till the constarch is dissolved. Put it on the stove on low flame for 5 min and keep stirring. Whip the egg and pour the whipped egg into the mixture slowly taking care that granules dont form. Add the salt, sugar and oyster sauce and stir continuously for another 5 minutes.
8. Once the rice is done, pour the gravy in the pot. Press the saute mode and cook for 3 min. Then close the lid and press the keep warm setting till when it is served.