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Madhur Jaffrey's Instantly Indian Cookbook: Modern and Classic Recipes for the Instant Pot®
“The only Instant Pot cookbook the world still needs ... Full of those timeless Indian recipes Jaffrey is known for.” —Priya Krishna, Bon Appetit Master Indian cooking at home with more than seventy recipes from the multi-James Beard Award–winning author who is revered as the “queen of Indian cooking” (Saveur). Here she shares inviting, easy-to-follow recipes—some entirely new, others reworked classics—for preparing fantastic Indian food at home. While these dishes are quick and easy to prepare, they retain all the rich complexity for which Jaffrey’s food has always been known, making this the only Indian cookbook with recipes designed for the Instant Pot you’ll ever need. From classics like butter chicken and buttery dal to new sure-to-be-favorites like kale cooked in a Kashmiri style and Goan-style clams, these recipes capture the flavorful diversity of Indian cuisine. Written with the clarity and precision for which Jaffrey has always been known, these are flavor-forward recipes that make the most of the Instant Pot’s unique functionality. A DIFFERENT KIND OF Rather than simply adapting recipes for one-pot cooking, Jaffrey has selected the essential dishes best suited for preparing using the Instant Pot, and created some all-new delectable dishes that make the most of its strengths. BEYOND THE INSTANT Also included are thirteen bonus, no-special-pot needed recipes for the chutneys, salads, and relishes you need to complete any Indian meal. Think avocado-radish salad, fresh tomato chutney, and yogurt and apple raita. SPICES AND SPECIAL Jaffrey provides a list of pantry essentials, from asafetida to whole spices, as well as recipes for her own garam masala blend and more. Here too is Jaffrey’s advice on the best way to make rice, cook meat and fish in your Instant Pot, and more, based on her own extensive testing.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 7, 2019
271 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
Madhur Jaffrey
94 books194 followersMadhur Jaffrey CBE is an Indian-born actress, food and travel writer, and television personality. She is recognized for bringing Indian cuisine to the western hemisphere with her debut cookbook, An Invitation to Indian Cooking, which was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Hall of Fame in 2006.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
May 8, 2025
Who am I to argue with the great Priya Krishna, formerly with Bon Appétit and now with The New York Times?
She says: “The only Instant Pot cookbook the world still needs ... Full of those timeless Indian recipes Jaffrey is known for.”
Madhur Jaffrey, CBE, an award-winning Indian-British actress, travel writer and cookbook scribe, introduced Indian food to the West with her first cookbook, An Invitation to Indian Cooking, in 1973. She’s written quite a few cookbooks since then and starred in a cooking show in the United Kingdom in the 1980s.
Jaffrey released this cookbook in 2019. And I’m glad that the 91-year-old has lived long enough to publish this gem. First of all, she’s included something for everyone, be it beginner-friendly Basmati Rice Pilaf with Peas, or the easy Indian-Chinese Pork Chops, right up to the demanding Fennel-Flavored Fish Curry with Cauliflower. There’s also a variation on how many exotic items a cook would need. Some require none at all, while Gujarati Mango Soup, for example, requires a big can of pureed mango, fenugreek seeds, fresh curry leaves and bird’s-eye chiles — probably not something someone in rural Kansas could dream of getting. (I live in foodie Louisville, and I would still have to hit an Indian grocery store to score chickpea flour, black mustard seed, tamarind paste, asafetida or fresh curry leaves and whole nigella seeds.) And Jayhawk, just substitute all-purpose flour for chickpea flour, substitute ground mustard for the mustard seed, substitute lemon juice for tamarind paste, leave out the asafetida or curry leaves, and substitute fennel seeds, cumin seeds or caraway seeds for the nigella seeds. See? The recipes can still work!
Second of all, Jaffrey sets the Instant Pot button names in all-caps and red, making the recipes so much easier to follow. Would that every cookbook author followed her lead!
All in all, Jaffrey’s cookbook might not be the only pressure-cooker cookbook someone might need, but it’s definitely one to get!
She says: “The only Instant Pot cookbook the world still needs ... Full of those timeless Indian recipes Jaffrey is known for.”
Madhur Jaffrey, CBE, an award-winning Indian-British actress, travel writer and cookbook scribe, introduced Indian food to the West with her first cookbook, An Invitation to Indian Cooking, in 1973. She’s written quite a few cookbooks since then and starred in a cooking show in the United Kingdom in the 1980s.
Jaffrey released this cookbook in 2019. And I’m glad that the 91-year-old has lived long enough to publish this gem. First of all, she’s included something for everyone, be it beginner-friendly Basmati Rice Pilaf with Peas, or the easy Indian-Chinese Pork Chops, right up to the demanding Fennel-Flavored Fish Curry with Cauliflower. There’s also a variation on how many exotic items a cook would need. Some require none at all, while Gujarati Mango Soup, for example, requires a big can of pureed mango, fenugreek seeds, fresh curry leaves and bird’s-eye chiles — probably not something someone in rural Kansas could dream of getting. (I live in foodie Louisville, and I would still have to hit an Indian grocery store to score chickpea flour, black mustard seed, tamarind paste, asafetida or fresh curry leaves and whole nigella seeds.) And Jayhawk, just substitute all-purpose flour for chickpea flour, substitute ground mustard for the mustard seed, substitute lemon juice for tamarind paste, leave out the asafetida or curry leaves, and substitute fennel seeds, cumin seeds or caraway seeds for the nigella seeds. See? The recipes can still work!
Second of all, Jaffrey sets the Instant Pot button names in all-caps and red, making the recipes so much easier to follow. Would that every cookbook author followed her lead!
All in all, Jaffrey’s cookbook might not be the only pressure-cooker cookbook someone might need, but it’s definitely one to get!
Read
February 7, 2020This is great!
*Full disclosure: I don't typically like a lot of the Instant Pot specific cookbooks, even though I really like my instant pot.*
I have found that the Instant Pot specific books tend to be this weird meld of product manual and cookbook that isn't really written for people who like to cook. That's part of why I was super excited to see this come into the library because I own one of Madhur Jaffrey's other cookbooks. While this book offers several fast and easy recipes, the "short cuts" offered are thoughtful and highlight the things the Instant Pot does well: great sections on beans and soups in particular. Pressure cooking curry bases so they taste like they've had time to really cook together.
It's a great mix of adapted but already established recipes and recipes that are already quick and easy without needing the Instant Pot. The Goan Shrimp Curry was delicious and the photography and style make this book very pretty to flip through while your trying to pick what to make next. - Alexis S.
*Full disclosure: I don't typically like a lot of the Instant Pot specific cookbooks, even though I really like my instant pot.*
I have found that the Instant Pot specific books tend to be this weird meld of product manual and cookbook that isn't really written for people who like to cook. That's part of why I was super excited to see this come into the library because I own one of Madhur Jaffrey's other cookbooks. While this book offers several fast and easy recipes, the "short cuts" offered are thoughtful and highlight the things the Instant Pot does well: great sections on beans and soups in particular. Pressure cooking curry bases so they taste like they've had time to really cook together.
It's a great mix of adapted but already established recipes and recipes that are already quick and easy without needing the Instant Pot. The Goan Shrimp Curry was delicious and the photography and style make this book very pretty to flip through while your trying to pick what to make next. - Alexis S.
August 26, 2019
It’s obvious that Jaffrey’s publisher demanded she produce a book for the Instant Pot fans. Her heart does not appear to have been in this book as the recipes are lackluster and are missing steps, or they only require 1 minute of pressure cooking. The rest are salads or sauces. You can find much better Indian IP recipes on dedicated blogs.
I have followed Jaffrey’s cookbooks for years – this almost seems ghost-written as it’s just so uninspired and only contains about 20 recipes. I was really looking forward to this book because I know how important the pressure cooker is for classic Indian food, so all the more of a letdown!
I have followed Jaffrey’s cookbooks for years – this almost seems ghost-written as it’s just so uninspired and only contains about 20 recipes. I was really looking forward to this book because I know how important the pressure cooker is for classic Indian food, so all the more of a letdown!
July 29, 2019
I found many typos in this book, sometimes unfortunately in the recipe ingredients and instruction lists. I made two recipes, both were disappointing. I love Jaffrey's other cookbooks, but this one comes off as gimmicky. The recipes seem like her classics, adapted with some hast for the Instant Pot - which in fairness to her, the Instant Pot isn't the optimal device to get the depth of flavors in a good Indian dish. The physical book itself is very beautiful.
September 23, 2019
I like Indian food, but I didn't care much for this book.
Not enough pictures for my preference, but also found the recipes somewhat difficult to follow, so I didn't actually try any of them.
Not enough pictures for my preference, but also found the recipes somewhat difficult to follow, so I didn't actually try any of them.
July 6, 2019
Madhur Jaffrey's Indian cookbooks always have recipes that look intriguing. My issues with this cookbook have more to do with the way she treats the Instant Pot versus how I do -- I'm not a huge fan of the "saute" feature, and most of these recipes use it. Additionally, there are places where the directions may be missing information, but I cannot tell for sure because of my lack of deep knowledge about an authentically Indian dish. (Do we add the raisins and almonds back in to the korma? If so, there's no mention of doing so. Lots of kormas have ground nuts -- but this one has sliced ones that are sauteed and removed.) That said, I've found recipes that I will try, partially to use interesting beans I've found at Patel Brothers, partially to get over my "saute" feature fears.
October 18, 2019
Haven’t tried any of the author’s other cookbooks. Checked out this book from the library and only had time to try one recipe.Just tried the shrimp curry, wasn’t super impressed. I actually think the curry would have been better on the stove because all the liquid required for the instapot.Hadn’t used the sauté feature on the instapot before this book; great feature.
December 10, 2019
Seems like a hasty jump on the instantpot bandwagon for a normally excellent cookbook author.
January 27, 2021
The good:
-The recipes are scrumptious and cover a ride range of dishes.
-Each recipe is introduced with some background about which part of India it's from, or recommended accompaniments, or other tips.
-The instructions are clearly written and there are plenty of photographs.
The bad:
-Many of the recipes seem like they were adapted for Instant Pot just for the sake of using it, but would actually be easier to make on the stove
-Madhur Jaffrey is a brilliant cook but I prefer some of her other books that use more traditional cooking techniques
Overall, a good book if you are committed to using the Instant Pot for your cooking. But, if you just want to learn some Indian dishes, I'd recommend picking up a different Madhur Jaffrey book.
-The recipes are scrumptious and cover a ride range of dishes.
-Each recipe is introduced with some background about which part of India it's from, or recommended accompaniments, or other tips.
-The instructions are clearly written and there are plenty of photographs.
The bad:
-Many of the recipes seem like they were adapted for Instant Pot just for the sake of using it, but would actually be easier to make on the stove
-Madhur Jaffrey is a brilliant cook but I prefer some of her other books that use more traditional cooking techniques
Overall, a good book if you are committed to using the Instant Pot for your cooking. But, if you just want to learn some Indian dishes, I'd recommend picking up a different Madhur Jaffrey book.
June 12, 2023
Cooking is my #1 favorite hobby. Indian is my #1 favorite cuisine. And until now, Jaffrey has been a favorite cookbook author. Including this book, I own seven of her cookbooks. That said, this one is NOT a favorite. I've tried 11 recipes so far. In my rating system where 3 stars is good, 4 stars is very good, 5 stars is the best (and Indian food rarely gets less than 3 stars), the average for these 11 recipes is 3.95. Only one recipe earned 5 stars. By comparison, The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook (7 recipes) averaged 4.07 with two 5-star winners. Indian-ish (11 recipes) (not only for Instant Pot) averaged 4.45 with six 5-star winners. You can get better recipes than these for free at my favorite Indian blog – pipingpotcurry.com.
October 7, 2019
Great cook book!
4.5 stars. I love this cookbook! It takes the anxiety of cooking a new cuisine and eases you in. This author has written quite a number of Indian cook books so far, and I'm pleased this one features everyone's new kitchen appliance obsession: the instapot. My only complaint is that I wish every dish had a picture, because it's hard to know if I want to spend the time cooking something I've never heard of if all that is listed is the recipe with no picture.
4.5 stars. I love this cookbook! It takes the anxiety of cooking a new cuisine and eases you in. This author has written quite a number of Indian cook books so far, and I'm pleased this one features everyone's new kitchen appliance obsession: the instapot. My only complaint is that I wish every dish had a picture, because it's hard to know if I want to spend the time cooking something I've never heard of if all that is listed is the recipe with no picture.
July 9, 2019
A few yummy sounding recipes here. Did not get a chance to actually cook any before the due date. As a vegetarian there were lots of options but not enough for me to buy it. Would have loved some help composing menus from this.
March 16, 2021
I loved the layout of the book and the pictures are divine. I won't use most of the recipes because the complexity of using the Insta-pot for sauteing, frying, sauteing, boiling, and finally pressure cooking was too much on the recipes I wanted to try the most.
July 2, 2019
I don't own a hot pot, so I wasn't as thrilled as I could have been.
December 12, 2019
The photos!! The mango soup!! In love!!
January 3, 2020
Not her best book but worth looking at if you use instant pots.
December 31, 2020
A lot of recipes I wouldn't personally make but otherwise fine
Read
February 27, 2021Maybe I’m just not feeling creative but most of these recipes seemed too complicated in one way or another; I want to use the instant pot for fast and easy.
May 13, 2021
Enjoyed reading this book. Yes, I actually read cookbooks. Good spice mixes and definitions of what they are and how to balance them.
March 8, 2022
Simplified and easy Indian recipe with explanation of the regions the recipes came from and a great tip of where to find the spices at Kalustyans in NYC
October 25, 2023
In order to cook authentic Indian food, you’ll need a number of spices that most people probably don’t have in their home. Once you have the spices you require, it’s not hard to follow these recipes.
December 3, 2023
Wonderful recipes
April 14, 2024
Too many ingredients in the recipes.
August 1, 2020
Honestly, it breaks my heart to slam this cookbook.
As a new bride, in 1980, her cookbooks led me to new heights of cooking when, ripped from the ethnic wealth of greater Boston restaurants, I found I couldn't abandon my new experiences, and sought out the flavors I learned in town.
When I discovered Indian cuisine, I fell in love, I sought out really good restaurants. I then married, and moved to Cape Cod, the home of insanely bad food, at extravagant prices.
I rebelled. I sought out recipes. Authentic ones.
That is when I discovered Madhur Jaffrey. She rescued me from the boring, the hum-drum, the pedestrian. I learned to cook foods that my Irish/Polish forebears never experienced.
I still cook several of her recipes from back then.
This cookbook lacks an understanding of how an electric pressure cooker is not the same as 'traditional' Indian dishes.
I think that it's time for her to retire. NOW.
Before she embarrasses herself to more than just me.
If you really want to cook really fantastic Indian food in a reasonable time, and get all of the flavor without a lot of unnecessary effort, try my current fave, "Indian-ish" by Priya Krishna. Fun to read, easy to follow, and uses ingredients that are available. Plus, it's fun to read.
I'm truly sorry that Ms. Jaffrey felt it necessary to make more money, although the gravy train has moved on.
At least, for me. As I said, it breaks my heart. I wish it hadn't come to this. I'll still make her tomato chutney until I die. That isn't enough.
As a new bride, in 1980, her cookbooks led me to new heights of cooking when, ripped from the ethnic wealth of greater Boston restaurants, I found I couldn't abandon my new experiences, and sought out the flavors I learned in town.
When I discovered Indian cuisine, I fell in love, I sought out really good restaurants. I then married, and moved to Cape Cod, the home of insanely bad food, at extravagant prices.
I rebelled. I sought out recipes. Authentic ones.
That is when I discovered Madhur Jaffrey. She rescued me from the boring, the hum-drum, the pedestrian. I learned to cook foods that my Irish/Polish forebears never experienced.
I still cook several of her recipes from back then.
This cookbook lacks an understanding of how an electric pressure cooker is not the same as 'traditional' Indian dishes.
I think that it's time for her to retire. NOW.
Before she embarrasses herself to more than just me.
If you really want to cook really fantastic Indian food in a reasonable time, and get all of the flavor without a lot of unnecessary effort, try my current fave, "Indian-ish" by Priya Krishna. Fun to read, easy to follow, and uses ingredients that are available. Plus, it's fun to read.
I'm truly sorry that Ms. Jaffrey felt it necessary to make more money, although the gravy train has moved on.
At least, for me. As I said, it breaks my heart. I wish it hadn't come to this. I'll still make her tomato chutney until I die. That isn't enough.
February 28, 2023
These recipes look so delicious, it makes me want an Instant Pot.
December 9, 2021
Some good looking recipes. Haven't tried any yet.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews