Instant Pot Lunch - Basmati Rice, Dal, Stuffed Bitter Gourd (Karela)

Step 1: Prepare Dal Base

In the Instant Pot inner pot, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add 5 crushed garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, and 1 teaspoon mustard seeds. Sauté for a minute until fragrant.

Step 2: Add Dal and Spices

Add 1/2 cup of soaked toor dal (or red lentils), 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, salt to taste, and 1 tablespoon curry powder to the Instant Pot. Stir well.

Step 3: Add Water and Tomatoes

Pour in 1/2 cup of water and add 25 halved cherry tomatoes (or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped). Stir to combine all ingredients for the dal.

Step 4: Prepare Bitter Gourd for Steaming

Place a trivet over the dal mixture in the Instant Pot. In a separate stainless steel bowl, place 4 prepared bitter gourds (slit lengthwise, seeds removed, and stuffed with 1/4 cup peanut sesame powder). Sprinkle salt and add 2 tablespoons of water over the bitter gourds.

Step 5: Prepare Rice

In another stainless steel bowl, place 1 cup of washed basmati rice. Add 2 cups of water to the rice. Carefully place this bowl on top of the bitter gourd bowl, stacking them inside the Instant Pot.

Step 6: Pressure Cook All Components

Close the Instant Pot lid, ensuring the sealing valve is in the 'Sealing' position. Select 'Manual' or 'Pressure Cook' mode and set the timer for 6 minutes on high pressure.

Step 7: Release Pressure

Once cooking is complete, the Instant Pot will beep and switch to 'Keep Warm' (L000). Press 'Cancel'. Perform a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 5-10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure before carefully opening the lid.

Step 8: Remove Cooked Items

Carefully open the lid. Remove the rice bowl and the bitter gourd bowl. The rice should be perfectly cooked and fluffy with no water left.

Step 9: Fry Bitter Gourd

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Gently transfer the cooked, stuffed bitter gourds to the pan and fry for a couple of minutes on each side until they are slightly crispy and golden brown. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the fried bitter gourds.

Step 10: Finish Dal

Remove the trivet from the Instant Pot. Mash the cooked lentils and tomatoes with a spoon to achieve a desired consistency. Add 1/2 cup more water if needed to adjust the consistency. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the dal and stir. Taste and adjust salt and spices if necessary.

Step 11: Serve Complete Lunch

Serve the freshly cooked basmati rice, flavorful tomato dal, and crispy stuffed fried bitter gourd as a complete and delicious Instant Pot lunch.

• Adjust spice levels in dal to your preference by adding more or less curry powder and chili.

• For less bitterness in karela, you can salt them and let them sit for 30 minutes, then rinse before stuffing and cooking.

• Ensure the Instant Pot lid is properly sealed and the steam release handle is in the 'Sealing' position before starting pressure cooking.

• Use different lentils for the dal, such as moong dal or masoor dal.

• Stuff karela with other fillings like spiced paneer or potato mixture for variety.