Chicken Rogan Josh with Roasted Cauliflower
Sometimes a recipe does not require any tweaking. This one is from Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Fast and Slow. This cookbook demonstrates the versatility of the InstantPot. I was a late comer to the Instant Pot craze, thinking it was sacrilege to the art of cooking. It is actually the most brilliant and easy way to make great food, as fast (on the pressure cook setting) or as slow (on the slow cook setting) as you like, with minimal clean-up. Try this recipe, and I think you will be convinced. I’ve included the recipe for the FAST version.
Chicken Rogan Josh
2 Tbsp salted butter
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
4 medium garlic gloves, smashed and peeled
6 whole cardamom pods, lightly crushed
2 cinnamon sticks
2 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
3 pounds bone-in, skin on chicken thigh, skin removed and discarded
1/2 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
Chopped fresh cilantro, to serve
Start: On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select NORMAL/MEDIUM SAUTÉ or SAUTÉ (older model). Add the butter and let melt, then add the onions, garlic, cardamom, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, allspice, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 cup water, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle the chicken in an even layer, slightly overlapping the pieces if needed.
FAST: Press CANCEL (after sauté), lock the lid in place and move the PRESSURE RELEASE VALVE to SEALING. Select PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL; make sure the pressure is set to HIGH. Set the cooking time for 10 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, let the pressure reduce naturally for 15 minutes, then release any remaining steam by moving the pressure valve to VENTING. Press CANCEL, then carefully open the pot.
FINISH: Remove and discard the cinnamon and cardamom pods. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a serving dish and tent with foil. Selected MORE/HIGH SAUTÉ. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until a spatula drawn though the mixture leaves a very brief trail, about 15 minutes. Press CANCEL to turn off the pot, then whisk in the yogurt. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Using potholders, carefully remove the insert from the housing and pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with cilantro.
Serve with basmati rice, warm nan, and/or roasted cauliflower.
