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The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook: Authentic Flavors and Modern Recipes for Your Electric Pressure Cooker
This authorized collection of 75 simplified Indian classics for the immensely popular electric pressure cooker, the Instant Pot, is a beautifully photographed, easy-to-follow source for flavorful weekday meals.
The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook is your source for quick, flavorful Indian favorites and contemporary weekday meals. With 75 well-tested recipes authorized by Instant Pot covering every meal of the day, this is a go-to resource for classic chicken, lamb, and vegetarian curries; daals, soups, and seafood like fennel and saffron spiced mussels; breakfast delights like spicy frittata and ginger almond oatmeal; and sweet treats like rose milk cake and fig and walnut halwa.
The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook is your source for quick, flavorful Indian favorites and contemporary weekday meals. With 75 well-tested recipes authorized by Instant Pot covering every meal of the day, this is a go-to resource for classic chicken, lamb, and vegetarian curries; daals, soups, and seafood like fennel and saffron spiced mussels; breakfast delights like spicy frittata and ginger almond oatmeal; and sweet treats like rose milk cake and fig and walnut halwa.
176 pages, Hardcover
Published October 16, 2018
441 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 7, 2020
I was a bit nervous to use my new Instant Pot, but this cookbook enticed me with the promise of the Indian food I'd always wanted to try to make. The recipes were easy to follow and the author demystified unfamiliar ingredients. 50 Thumbs up!
Update: As I have started to use other instant pot Cookbooks, this has been the best one so far.
Update: As I have started to use other instant pot Cookbooks, this has been the best one so far.
February 17, 2025
Having long enjoyed the recipes of Suvir Saran, I was hoping this book would offer similar depth and intensity of flavor with the ease of The Instant Pot Bible: More than 350 Recipes and Strategies: The Only Book You Need for Every Model of Instant Pot. Alas, a few recipes in, this is by far the most underwhelming Indian cookbook I've tried. (I've been to Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengeluru and Chennai over the years; while I still can't always handle the in-country heat level, I'm completely hooked on the kind of flavors you find there and at the wonderful Berkeley, Calif., staple, Vik's Chaat House.)
The breakfast recipes seem the strongest section, but even some of these had techniques that unnecessarily complicated the recipe.
The cilantro chicken soup looked promising and like a great use of cilantro stems left from other recipes, but it proved very one note. My mom and both found it very heavy on chicken, relative to the total yield. We ultimately expanded our leftovers with more broth and veggies (these did have a nice texture, I'll concede).
The Gujarati khichdi was a nice use of vegetables (an easy way to use up several small odds and ends I had), but had super mild flavor. I ultimately stirred in a healthy amount of cilantro chutney from a Saran recipe to improve the flavor.
It's possible some of these recipes could be improved simply by increasing the volume of each spice. I've cooked extensively from the Instant Pot Bible, and they stress that Instant Pot recipes need more spice for the flavor to hold up under pressure. So you might consider doubling the spice called for in a lot of these recipes.
To simplify getting my Indian fix, I may instead try to rework some of Saran's recipes for the Instant Pot, or give Priya Krishna's Indian-Ish: Recipes and Antics from a Modern American Family Spiral-bound Priya Krishna another whirl. Those recipes were generally faster, but with the great vibrant flavors Saran's food has hooked me on.
The breakfast recipes seem the strongest section, but even some of these had techniques that unnecessarily complicated the recipe.
The cilantro chicken soup looked promising and like a great use of cilantro stems left from other recipes, but it proved very one note. My mom and both found it very heavy on chicken, relative to the total yield. We ultimately expanded our leftovers with more broth and veggies (these did have a nice texture, I'll concede).
The Gujarati khichdi was a nice use of vegetables (an easy way to use up several small odds and ends I had), but had super mild flavor. I ultimately stirred in a healthy amount of cilantro chutney from a Saran recipe to improve the flavor.
It's possible some of these recipes could be improved simply by increasing the volume of each spice. I've cooked extensively from the Instant Pot Bible, and they stress that Instant Pot recipes need more spice for the flavor to hold up under pressure. So you might consider doubling the spice called for in a lot of these recipes.
To simplify getting my Indian fix, I may instead try to rework some of Saran's recipes for the Instant Pot, or give Priya Krishna's Indian-Ish: Recipes and Antics from a Modern American Family Spiral-bound Priya Krishna another whirl. Those recipes were generally faster, but with the great vibrant flavors Saran's food has hooked me on.
June 7, 2021
I'm a fairly new Instant Pot owner and wanting to expand my Indian food repertoire, so this was a great choice. Really good info on using the Instant Pot and a variety of recipes with detailed instructions using the Instant Pot. Great for a new user like me. The expected favourites like Butter Chicken, Vindaloo and Korma plus a variety of more contemporary recipes like Savoury Quinoa with Mustard Seeds & Curry Leaves, Fennel & Saffron Spiced Mussels.
I'm keen to try all of these recipes ( except the Mussels one. I can't stomach Mussels!! )
I'm keen to try all of these recipes ( except the Mussels one. I can't stomach Mussels!! )
January 5, 2022
An incredible cookbook that seems a tremendous labor of love, this work has in large part shaped my childhood. While many of these recipes are very traditional, the recipes newer to the author have developed into mainstays in my diet; it’s fundamentally changed the way I eat for the better. The author’s goal of making cooking, particularly Indian cuisine, more accessible is very clearly realized in this work.
March 26, 2024
I have yet to try a few more recipes from this book. One I did was great (butter chicken) and I one was disappointing (cauliflower soup… lacking taste in my opinion). But overall a practical book, which allowed me to start cooking Indian dishes (I was afraid of the length it can take until I came across this instant pot book).
September 24, 2020
I have spent hours cooking Indian food on the stove and was absolutely delighted to discover this cookbook. I was able to cook meals in half the time and they tasted delicious. I have recommended this book to friends and family.
September 6, 2019
several nice veg recipes, everything well labeled to identify what is vegan or what can be made vegan or vegetarian. a few curries and other dishes i am not familiar with. excited to try them out!
August 13, 2020
I want to buy this book bc there are no Indian restaurants near me
February 7, 2021
Every single recipe I tried was amazing. No crazy techniques, either.
August 20, 2022
What a good find for recipes for my instant pot.
Really easy recipes too follow.
Really easy recipes too follow.
January 5, 2025
Loved the book and all the ideas...easy to adapt and create fun delicious meals
Going to save this for future fun meals and the food.
Will adjust these for future quick meals and fancy fun.
Going to save this for future fun meals and the food.
Will adjust these for future quick meals and fancy fun.
July 11, 2025
many great recipes in this book
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews