Make a delicious and authentic Indian Pilau easily and quickly in your Instant Pot! Peas and carrots with rice have never tasted so good!
What Makes This Indian Pilau So Good?
If you’re a fan of Indian Pilau, prepare to make the easiest, and arguably most delicious pilau you’ve ever made! And if you’ve never had pilau before, you’re in for quite the treat! This is a deliciously authentic and easy Indian recipe that you’ll want to make over and over again.
Now I know this recipe is certainly not low carb, but sometimes you just NEED to have some rice in your life. It’s one of those dishes that is just so good and comforting (and also vegetarian )that you have cravings for it from time to time. And trust me, once you’ve tried it you’re sure to have cravings as well.
From the savory sweetness of the spices, peas, and carrots to the tender deliciousness of the rice, you’ll find yourself savoring every bite.
Did I forget to mention that this recipe is an Instant Pot recipe as well? So not only is in oh-so-good, but it’s so easy to make and much faster than traditional methods. This might be the easiest Indian Pilau you’ve ever made!
What’s The Difference Between Biryani And Pilau?
While there are many differences, there are a few things that stand out to me.
- First of all, Biryani is a main dish, whereas Pilau is typically just a side dish.
- Biryani contains meat, and sauce and is all mixed together with a variety of spices and seasonings and in general, is an entree, which makes it far different from Pilau.
- Biryani is a heavily seasoned dish and Pilau is only mildly seasoned. While Pilau is a delicious rice dish that’s also Indian, it’s nothing like Biryani.
How To Make Indian Pilau
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté. When it’s hot add ghee, cumin, cloves , cinnamon, peppercorns and stir to flavor the ghee. Allow them to sizzle for 30 seconds. Then add the green onions and stir.
- If you’re using ground garam masala , add it to the pot along with the onions.
- Add in the rice water and salt and mix well.
- Then add the frozen onion peas and carrots on top. Do not stir.
- Close the lid and cook on high pressure for four minutes. When the cooking time is over allow the pot to rest undisturbed for 10 minutes. Then release all remaining pressure.
- Using a very light, hand mix the peas carrots and rice together and tip into a large serving dish to serve.
Tips And Tricks For Making Indian Pilau
- Make sure you don’t bite directly into any of the whole spices! If you weren’t raised eating traditional Indian food, we are trained from a young age to eat around the whole spices. So do yourself a favor and try not to chomp on any of the whole spices while you’re inhaling this delicious goodness.
- You can use Garam Masala if you’d like, and in doing so you’ll save yourself the extra effort of having to eat around the whole spices, but it really is that much better when you use whole spices. The spices flavor the rice around it and the water in a gentle fashion, with different tastes in different bites.
- If you decide to use Garam Masala instead of the whole spices, I highly recommend you make it yourself. Here is a great Garam Masala recipe for you to use!
- You can sub any other frozen veggie that you’d like.
- You can add paneer for protein if you’d like.
- Typically for 2 cups of rice, you’d only use 1.75 cups of water. But in this case, we’re using two cups of water to account for steaming the additional vegetables. My Perfect Pressure Cooker Rice post has some great tips on cooking rice in the Instant Pot.
What Can I Serve With Indian Pilau?
- Make this restaurant-quality Matar Paneer recipe in your Instant Pot or pressure cooker at home in minutes!
- This traditional Langar Ki Dal combines two types of dal to make a hearty dish that’s just perfect!
- Check out this authentic Chicken Vindaloo Recipe made from scratch with no spice pastes! Once you try this, you will be able to use this recipe as a base to make Pork Vindaloo or Beef Vindaloo.
- You may also be interested in this Kashmiri Yakhni Pulao
- If you’re craving something sweet, finish off your meal with some Halva .
Indian Pilau
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
Whole Garam Masala Ingredients
- ▢ 4 green cardamom pods
- ▢ 4 Whole Cloves
- ▢ 8 Whole Black Peppercorns
- ▢ 2-3 inch Indian Cinnamon Cassia Bark
- ▢ 1-2 Black Cardamom Pods , {optional)
(or 1 tablespoon Garam Masala instead of all the spices)
For The Rice
- ▢ 2 tablespoons Ghee
- ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ▢ 1 cup Chopped Green Scallions , chopped
- ▢ 1 bag Frozen Peas and Carrots
- ▢ 2 cups Basmati Rice , long grain, rinsed and drained
- ▢ 2 cups Water
Instructions
Turn the instant pot to sauté. When it’s hot add ghee, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns and stir to flavor the ghee. Allow them to sizzle for 30 seconds. Then add the green onions and stir.
If you’re using ground garam masala, add it to the pot along with the onions.
Add in the rice water and salt and mix well.
Then add the frozen onion peas and carrots on top. Do not stir.
Close the lid and cook on high pressure for four minutes. When the cooking time is over allow the pot to rest undisturbed for 10 minutes. Then release all remaining pressure.
Using a very light, hand mix the peas carrots and rice together and tip into a large serving dish to serve.
Make sure you don’t bite directly into any of the whole spices! If you weren’t raised eating traditional Indian food, we are trained from a young age to eat around the whole spices. So do yourself a favor and try not to chomp on any of the whole spices while you’re inhaling this delicious goodness.
You can use Garam Masala if you’d like, and in doing so you’ll save yourself the extra effort of having to eat around the whole spices, but it really is that much better when you use whole spices. The spices flavor the rice around it and the water in a gentle fashion, with different tastes in different bites.
If you decide to use Garam Masala instead of the whole spices, I highly recommend you make it yourself. Here is a great Garam Masala recipe for you to use!
You can sub any other frozen veggie that you’d like.
You can add paneer for protein if you’d like.
Typically for 2 cups of rice, you’d only use 1.75 cups of water. But in this case, we’re using two cups of water to account for steaming the additional vegetables. My Perfect Pressure Cooker Rice post has some great tips on cooking rice in the Instant Pot.
Get support & connect with our community on Facebook!
Nutrition
If you already signed up, you should have received an email with a password to give you unlimited access to our FREE Printable Library. The password is case sensitive. Enter it below and get printing!
Password:
Indian Pilau
Ingredients
Whole Garam Masala Ingredients
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 4 Whole Cloves
- 8 Whole Black Peppercorns
- 2-3 inch Indian Cinnamon Cassia Bark
- 1-2 Black Cardamom Pods {optional)
(or 1 tablespoon Garam Masala instead of all the spices)
For The Rice
- 2 tablespoons Ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 cup Chopped Green Scallions chopped
- 1 bag Frozen Peas and Carrots
- 2 cups Basmati Rice long grain, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups Water
Instructions
Turn the instant pot to sauté. When it’s hot add ghee, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns and stir to flavor the ghee. Allow them to sizzle for 30 seconds. Then add the green onions and stir.
If you’re using ground garam masala, add it to the pot along with the onions.
Add in the rice water and salt and mix well.
Then add the frozen onion peas and carrots on top. Do not stir.
Close the lid and cook on high pressure for four minutes. When the cooking time is over allow the pot to rest undisturbed for 10 minutes. Then release all remaining pressure.
Using a very light, hand mix the peas carrots and rice together and tip into a large serving dish to serve.
Make sure you don’t bite directly into any of the whole spices! If you weren’t raised eating traditional Indian food, we are trained from a young age to eat around the whole spices. So do yourself a favor and try not to chomp on any of the whole spices while you’re inhaling this delicious goodness.
You can use Garam Masala if you’d like, and in doing so you’ll save yourself the extra effort of having to eat around the whole spices, but it really is that much better when you use whole spices. The spices flavor the rice around it and the water in a gentle fashion, with different tastes in different bites.
If you decide to use Garam Masala instead of the whole spices, I highly recommend you make it yourself. Here is a great Garam Masala recipe for you to use!
You can sub any other frozen veggie that you’d like.
You can add paneer for protein if you’d like.
Typically for 2 cups of rice, you’d only use 1.75 cups of water. But in this case, we’re using two cups of water to account for steaming the additional vegetables. My Perfect Pressure Cooker Rice post has some great tips on cooking rice in the Instant Pot.
Indian Pilau https://twosleevers.com/instant-pot-indian-pilau/
You must try this fast, delicious, and easy Mediterranean Shrimp recipe, made with tomatoes, feta, and olives. It’s absolutely bursting with flavor, is keto/low carb and gluten-free, and it’s exceptionally easy to make.
Why You Should Make This Mediterranean Shrimp Recipe
- Fast. Ready for your table in under 30 minutes .
- Easy. A simple pour and cook recipe .
- Gluten Free . Naturally gluten allergy-friendly.
- Low Carb . Only 8 carbs per serving.
If you’re looking for a quick, simple, and delicious recipe to cook up, have I got the dish for you! This keto, low carb Mediterranean Shrimp recipe is one of the easiest shrimp recipes I’ve ever concocted, and the flavors in this dish are absolutely wonderful.
You have the sweetness of the shrimp , the tang of the sauce and feta cheese and the delightful bite of the olives wrapped together in one very satisfying dish.
And not only is this dish delicious, but it’s also incredibly easy to make. I’m talking 15 minutes from beginning to end to make, no joke.
No tedious prep or long cook times here. You’re just a short 15 minutes away from enjoying an incredibly yummy shrimp dish.
What Is Mediterranean Shrimp?
Mediterranean Shrimp is a shrimp dish consisting of, you guessed it, commonly Mediterranean ingredients. We’re talking about ingredients like feta and olives.
This is not to be confused with the Mediterranean diet , which is a diet that is primarily plant-based and heavy in olive oil. This dish is simply inspired by Mediterranean flavors .
It’s one of the dishes that, once you’ve tried it, you’re definitely going to want to make again. The flavors are just so good that you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried it sooner!
Is Shrimp Ok On The Mediterranean Diet?
Yes! If you’re experimenting with the Mediterranean diet, you’ll quickly notice that it is heavy with a variety of fish and other seafood ingredients for proteins.
How to Make Mediterranean Shrimp with Feta and Olives
- Heat a 10-inch saucepan and when it’s hot, add the butter.
- To the melted butter add garlic and red pepper flakes. Let this sizzle for 10-15 seconds.
- Add in onions, tomato paste, oregano, salt, pepper, and water. Mix until you the tomato paste has dissolved. Cover the skillet and let the sauce cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the lid and slowly stir in the heavy whipping cream, stirring all the while.
- Stir in shrimp, feta cheese, and olives and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley and serve!
Tips and Tricks for Making Shrimp with Feta and Olives
- You can use frozen, shelled shrimp for this recipe. Once you add the shrimp, just turn the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let the shrimp thaw on low heat.
- The key to this dish is to not overcook the shrimp. As soon as you see them curl and turn pink, turn off the heat immediately. You’re better off letting them cook in the residual heat, with the pan covered for 5 minutes, than you are overcooking them. No one wants rubbery shrimp!
- If you plan to serve this later, add the feta cheese at the last minute to the heated shrimp. The cheese does melt and it makes it harder to reheat. The whole pieces of cheese also look wonderful in the finished dish.
- For the non-keto members of the family, you can serve this over boiled pasta. You can use shirataki noodles or cauliflower rice for a low carb option. Depending on your carb allowance for the day , you might try my favorite lower carb (but not low enough for keto) noodles, Al Dente Carba-Nada Egg Fettuccine.
- You can use queso fresco instead of feta. You just want some kind of salty, crumbly cheese for this recipe.
- Use a colorful mix of olives to add even more visual appeal to this recipe. Chopped parsley at the end adds a great contrast to the colors in the recipe.
What Is The Best Way To Season Shrimp?
Shrimp are delicious all on their own. That being said, you can never go wrong with a few herbs and spices to help enhance the natural flavors.
Here is what I used to season the shrimp in this recipe:
- Butter
- Garlic
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Onions
- Tomato Paste
- Dried Oregano
- Kosher Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
What Vegetables Go With Shrimp?
Veggies are incredibly important when you’re eating a low-carb lifestyle. Not only do they offer a low-calorie boost to your meals, but they are also high in fiber. Here are some of my favorite vegetables to serve alongside this Mediterranean Shrimp recipe:
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Tabouli with Hemp Hearts
- Roasted Eggplant
Want Some More Delicious Shrimp Recipes?
- Shrimp with Coconut Milk - an incredible, creamy recipe that has beautiful flavors you’ll want to make again and again.
- Air Fried Bang Bang Shrimp - out of this world flavor and reduced cook time because of the air fryer.
- Instant Pot Low Country Boil - there is NO better way to cook this classic dish than in your pressure cooker- I promise.
Mediterranean Shrimp with Feta and Olives
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- GREENPAN SAUCEPANS
Ingredients
- ▢ 3 tablespoons Butter
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Garlic
- ▢ 1/2 tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes , adjust to taste
- ▢ 1 cup onions, chopped
- ▢ 1.5 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- ▢ 1/4 cup Water
- ▢ 3/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- ▢ 1 pound Shrimp , 21-25 count, shelled and deveined
- ▢ 1 cup feta cheese , crumbled
- ▢ 1/2 cup Sliced black olives
- ▢ 1/4 cup Chopped Parsley
Instructions
- Heat a 10-inch saucepan and when it’s hot, add the butter. To the melted butter add garlic and red pepper flakes. Let this sizzle for 10-15 seconds.
- Add in onions, tomato paste, oregano, salt, pepper, and water. Mix until you the tomato paste has dissolved. Cover the skillet and let the sauce cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove lid and slowly stir in the heavy whipping cream, stirring all the while. Stir in shrimp, feta cheese, and olives and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Watch The Video
- You can use frozen, shelled shrimp for this recipe. Once you add the shrimp, just turn the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let the shrimp thaw on low heat.
- The key to this dish is to not overcook the shrimp. As soon as you see them curl and turn pink, turn off the heat immediately. You’re better off letting them cook in the residual heat, with the pan covered for 5 minutes, than you are overcooking them. No one wants rubbery shrimp!
- If you plan to serve this later, add the feta cheese at the last minute to the heated shrimp. The cheese does melt and it makes it harder to reheat. The whole pieces of cheese also look wonderful in the finished dish.
- For the non-keto members of the family, you can serve this over boiled pasta. You can use shirataki noodles or cauliflower rice for a low carb option. Depending on your carb allowance for the day, you might try my favorite lower carb (but not low enough for keto) noodles, Al Dente Carba-Nada Egg Fettuccine.
- You can use queso fresco instead of feta. You just want some kind of salty, crumbly cheese for this recipe.
- Use a colorful mix of olives to add even more visual appeal to this recipe. Chopped parsley at the end adds a great contrast to the colors in the recipe.
Get support & connect with our community on Facebook!
Nutrition
Originally Published July 10, 2019
Don’t forget to check out my other Ketocookbooks.
Keto Instant Pot, Keto Fat Bombs, Sweets, & Treats , and Easy keto in 30 minutes.
