Serves 6
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 20 min

Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 20 minutes
• 2 tbsps butter or ghee
• 1 medium sized yellow onion
• 4-5 garlic pods
• 2 tsps minced ginger
• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (washed and cut in small pieces, trim excess fat)
• Chopped cilantro
• Chopped mint leaves

Spices

• 6 cardamom pods
• 5 whole cloves
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp fennel seeds

Powders

• 3 tsps coriander powder
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• 3 tsps salt
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp sambar powder or garam masala
• 1 tsp spicy chilli powder
• ¼ tsp cumin powder
• Ground black pepper

Directions

1. Soak the basmati rice for about 20 minutes.  Drain and rinse.
2. Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot (IP).  When IP says hot, add butter/ghee and spices.   Add onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes.  
3. Add ginger/garlic and sautee for 30 seconds.
4. Wash and cut chicken into small pieces, trimming excess fat.  Pat dry chicken and add to the IP and sauté for about 5-6 minutes.
5. Add powders to the IP and mix with the chicken.
6. Dump the rice on top of the chicken (DO NOT MIX).  Add water in a 1:1 ratio, for example, for 2 cups of rice add 2 cups of water.
7. Sprinkle cilantro and mint on top of the rice.
8. Press Cancel on the IP to release it from sauté mode.
9. Put the pressure cooker lid on the IP (the lid that comes with it). Make sure the vent is sealed on the lid.
10. Choose the “Pressure Cook” setting or “Manual” setting and set cook time to 6min High Pressure (HP). The pot will take a few minutes to build up pressure and then it will start counting down from 6min.
11. Once the 6min cook time has passed, the IP will beep and will now read “L0:00 and start counting up, to show the time lapsed since the pressure cook finished. Wait for about 10 min (screen will read “L0:10) and manual release the vent on top of the lid to diffuse any lasting pressure.

Variations/Tips: 
(a) Use long grain basmati rice for best results
(b) Use a spice bag for all spices to avoid biting into cardamom pod or clove.
(c) Adjust chilli powder for a milder flavor