Instant Pot Parsi shrimp pulao

Boldly seasoned golden rice is studded with shrimp, spices, and vegetables. This recipe is a fascinating historical fusion of Parsi and Anglo-Indian culinary traditions. Surprising additions pack a flavor punch: a whole thinly sliced lemon imparts sourness. After cooking in the buttery, spicy broth, the peel becomes jammy and savory. Worcestershire sauce, perhaps the most surprising ingredient, was introduced through British colonialism. Strange as it sounds, it adds the perfect umami tang, and reminds me, a native Louisiana, slightly of jambalaya.

I combined elements of this recipe from Zar's Kitchen and this New York Times recipe and converted them for cooking in the Instant Pot. As I've written before, the Instant Pot is my favorite way to cook rice and results in perfectly cooked, separate grains.

The first night we had this topped with chopped cilantro as shown in the photo. The following night, I made a cilantro yogurt sauce like this, and that was definitely the way to go. The creamy, herbaceous drizzle was the perfect foil to the warm, spicy rice.

Instant Pot shrimp pulao

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked

1/4 cup butter or ghee, divided

1 lb medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 T cumin seeds or ground cumin

1 very large onion thinly sliced

3 jalapenos, diced, ribs and seeds removed if you want it less spicy

8 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/4 t turmeric

1/4 t cloves
1/4 t cinnamon
4 whole green cardamom pods or 1/4 t ground cardamom (optional)
lots of black pepper
1 15 can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 t salt

2 t Worcestershire sauce

1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
2 bay leaves
2 cups water
1 T Better than Bouillon vegetable or "no chicken" flavor
2 cup green beans or frozen peas
chopped cilantro for garnish or cilantro chutney from this recipe

Rinse and soak the rice in hot water while preparing rest of the meal, about 15 minutes, then drain when ready to use. 

Sprinkle shrimp with a little turmeric and salt. In Instant Pot, saute shrimp in 2 T butter for 3 minutes on each side, then remove and set aside. 

Add remaining 2 T butter. Saute cumin seeds, if using, in butter for 30 seconds. Add onions and jalapeno and saute until golden. Add remaining seasonings and saute for another 30 seconds. 

Add remaining ingredients except shrimp, peas, and cilantro. (If using green beans, add them now). Stir well, cover and seal, then pressure cook for 5 minutes. When finished pressure cooking, allow to sit for 10 minutes before releasing pressure. 

Stir in shrimp and peas (if using). Serves approximately 6-8.