Instant Pot Middle Eastern Food

INSTANT POT MIDDLE EASTERN LAMB STEW

Steps:

• Turn the Instant Pot on and set it to the Sauté function. Heat the butter or oil and saute the onions for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Add the lamb, garlic, salt and all the spices and saute for 5 more minutes until fragrant. Add the vinegar, tomato paste, honey, stock, chickpeas and raisins and stir until combined.
• Cover and set the Instant Pot (or pressure cooker) to pressure cook setting for 50 minutes on normal/high. Naturally release.
• Let the pressure release and give a stir. The lamb will be tender and break apart easily. If you prefer it less juicy, return to saute function and cook off some of the liquid. ( Note that it will thicken a bit as it sits)
• Serve over quinoa, rice or cous cous with some fresh cilantro or parsley.
• The leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld.

INSTANT POT MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Set an Instant Pot to sauté on high. When the pot registers hot, add the vegetable oil. Working in two batches, add the chicken skin-side down and cook until well browned, about 10 minutes. Remove to a plate.
• Add the onion, garlic, carrots, paprika, coriander, cumin, turmeric, ginger and cayenne to the pot. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste to coat the vegetables, scraping up the bottom of the pot. Stir in the cinnamon stick, preserved lemon, prunes and apricots, then turn off the pot.
• Add 2/3 cup water and the olive brine to the pot and stir well, scraping up the bottom of the pot. Return the chicken skin-side up to the pot in a single layer. Put on and lock the lid; make sure the steam valve is in the sealing position. Set the pot to pressure-cook on high for 8 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the steam valve to the venting position to manually release the remaining pressure. Turn off the pot and remove the lid.
• Transfer the chicken to a platter, leaving the liquid in the pot; discard the cinnamon stick. Stir the olives, cilantro, parsley and vinegar into the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken and sauce over couscous; top with more parsley and serve with harissa.