Instant Pot Beef Pilau with Shan Masala

This Instant Pot Beef Pilau with Shan Masala is seriously one of the best things that I know how to make, and definitely the best Desi meal that I know how to make. If I want to impress a guest, this is my go-to. If you have not had any Desi food before, this dish will surprise and delight you with its unique array of flavors that come together to create an incredible flavor. It is hard to even describe the flavor, you will just have to try it!

When I first began making and perfecting this recipe, this was rather intimidating to make. Now that I have gotten it down, it really is not difficult, it just takes a little longer than most, but oh it is worth it! Making it in an instant pot instead of on the stove helps a lot as well. The beef is so tender and juicy, the rice is a gold pot of seasoning that you really cannot find in any other dish. The soft pieces of potato add an almost buttery feel. Making this in an instant pot makes it much more manageable as well, so it takes a few hours to make rather than all day. This dish is sure to have you coming back for seconds!

This recipe uses an Instant Pot. If you do not have one, you can follow the same steps and substitute it with a crockpot and pots and pans where needed. The key is to make sure you are cooking the beef long enough to make it very tender.

A mesh colander is needed to extract the veggies and other pieces from the broth.

A quart size measuring glass is helpful in this recipe.

Aluminum foil will be needed.

For Instant Pot Beef Pilau with Shan Masala you will need:

• 1.5 pounds of boneless beef chuck roast – Try to select a cut that has fat marbled throughout. This will make it more tender and flavorful once cooked.  You can also go a more traditional route and use bone in mixed beef. See substitutions for more detail on this.
• Shan masala pilau biryani packet: This is a seasoning packet that makes this whole dish possible! Shan is the brand that I use but you can use any brand you prefer. This can be found at just about any local Desi grocery or even online.
• 1 whole garlic bulb – this will be softened into a flavor infused paste that you will extract
• 2 inch chunk of ginger – you will peel this and it will soak in the broth and add flavor.
• 1/2 white onion + ¼ white onion
• 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper – I prefer jalapeno but serrano can be used to add an extra kick
• 2.5 cups of white basmati rice – you can use other types of white rice but basmati rice provides
• ¼ cup vegetable oil – to fry your onion and help distribute the flavor throughout the dish
• 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons garlic paste – you can also use minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste – you can also used minced ginger with the ginger you cooked with the beef
• 3 diced Roma tomatoes
• 1 russet potato
• ¼ cup plain whole milk yogurt
• ½ tablespoon garum masala
• Water

For the Garnish:

• Raita – try my go to raita recipe!
• 2 diced Roma tomatoes
• ¼ diced white onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper
• Lime juice

Step 4. Peel just the outer layer of your garlic bunch and add it to the pot. Leave the peels intact on the individual cloves. Don’t worry about peeling too much and keep the bunch attached together.

Step 5. Make vertical cuts into the half white onion to where it is not cut all the way through and stays together. Add to the pot. These cuts allow more of the onion flavor to release into the broth.

Step 6. Peel a 2 inch long piece of ginger and add to the pot. The ginger will infuse into the broth as it cooks.

Step 7. Take your jalapeno or serrano pepper, cut it in half and deseed one half. Add that half to the pot. You can also keep in the seeds if you want extra spice.

Step 8. Put the lid on your instant pot, make sure the valve is set to seal, and pressure cook on high for 40 minutes with a 10 minute natural release, after which you will set the stopper to vent.

Step 9. While the beef is cooking, add 2.5 cups of white basmati to a bowl and cover with water to soak for later use. This will allow the rice to soften.

Step 10. Remove the lid and use tongs or a spoon to remove the beef pieces and set them into a separate bowl. Be sure to leave behind any hard pieces of seasoning. Cover and set aside. Make sure the cover is fully on so the beef does not get dry.

Step 11. Remove the garlic bulb and set aside onto a cutting board. This allows it to cool down for a few minutes before you extract the garlic in a later step.

Step 12. Strain the remaining broth from the pot into a mesh colander and collect it in a quart sized measuring glass. Use a spoon to push down on the remaining pieces in the colander and extract as much liquid as you can into the bowl. Discard of what remains in the colander. Fill the measuring bowl the remaining way with water until the broth reaches 3.5 cups total. Set aside.

Step 13. Set the instant pot to sear/sauté on medium-high heat and add ¼ cup of vegetable oil.

Step 14. Slice ¼ of a white onion into thin slices and add to the pot to fry. After 2 minutes, add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds. Periodically stir until it begins to brown. If the onions have reached golden brown at any time, reduce the heat to low so they do not burn.

Step 15. Squeeze the softened garlic out of the cloves from the garlic bulb you set aside and add the garlic to the pot, discarding the peels. You can wear gloves if you do not want your fingers to smell like garlic.

Step 16. Add 2 teaspoons of garlic paste and 1 teaspoon of ginger paste to the pot. Stir well. If you do not have either of these you can used minces garlic or ginger. You may use the ginger from the broth for this.

Step 17. Dice 3 Roma tomatoes. To make it easier, you may also want to dice the 2 other tomatoes for your garnish at the same time, just be sure to keep them separated. Peel your potato and dice into about 1.5 inch cubes. Add both to the pot. Place the heat on medium low and cook for 5 minutes covered and 5 minutes uncovered. Stir a few times throughout.

Step 18. Add ¼ cup of yogurt and ½ tablespoon of garum masala to the pot and stir well. Fry on high heat for about 2 minutes while periodically stirring, and then reduce the heat to medium. This allows the flavors to infuse very well, the tomatoes to further cook down, and the potatoes to get a light sear.

Step 19. Strain and rinse your rice and add it to the pot along with the broth you set aside. Stir and cover for 25 minutes, still on medium heat.

Step 20. Pre-heat your oven to 350F.

Step 21. Remove the pot from your instant pot and gently fold in the beef you had previously set aside. Cover the pot in foil. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. This foil keeps the dish from burning and traps in steam which allows the rice to finish cooking and everything to soften.

Step 22. While the pot is in the oven, prepare your garnish. Dice 2 Roma tomatoes if not done previously, ¼ of a white onion, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lime. Mix together. You will add a spoonful to your plate when serving to add a refreshing crunch and a break in the flavor.

Step 23. Remove the pot from the oven and serve with a spoonful of garnish and raita sauce.

Enjoy – you really earned it on this one! – dice tomatoes and potatoe while 1st phase of cooking and note about house smelling

Instant Pot Beef Pilau with Shan Masala

Desi Beef Pilau using Shan Masala, made easier by using an instant pot! This dish is packed with mouth watering flavor, tender, juicy beef, and creamy bites of potato. A garnish and a sauce on the side complete it. This is sure to be a new household favorite!

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Active Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Course Dinner

Servings 8

Equipment

• instant pot
• mesh colander
• quart sized measuring glass
• aluminum foil

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 pounds of boneless beef chuck roast
• 1 Shan masala pilau biryani packet
• 1 whole garlic bulb
• 2 inch peeled chunk of ginger
• 1/2 white onion + ¼ white onion
• 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper
• 2.5 cups white basmati rice
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 3 diced tomatoes
• 1 russet potato
• ¼ cup plain whole milk yogurt
• ½ tablespoon garum masala
• Water

For the garnish:

• 2 diced Roma tomatoes
• ¼ diced white onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

 

• Fill your Instant Pot with 1/2 cup of water.
• Add 1 whole packet of Shan pilau biryani seasoning and stir into the water.
• Cut your beef into about 1.5 inch cubes and add to the pot, stirring to cover in the seasoned water.
• Peel just the outer layer of your garlic bunch and add it to the pot.
• Make vertical cuts into the half white onion to where it is not cut all the way through and stays together. Add to the pot.
• Peel a 2 inch long piece of ginger and add to the pot.
• Take your jalapeno or serrano pepper, cut it in half and deseed one half. Add that half to the pot.
• Put the lid on your instant pot, make sure the valve is set to seal, and pressure cook on high for 40 minutes with a 10 minute natural release, after which you will set the stopper to vent.
• While the beef is cooking, add 2.5 cups of white basmati to a bowl and cover with water to soak for later use.
• Remove the lid and use tongs or a spoon to remove the beef pieces and set them into a separate bowl. Cover and set aside.
• Remove the garlic bulb and set aside onto a cutting board.
• Strain the remaining broth from the pot into a mesh colander and collect it in a quart sized measuring glass. Use a spoon to push down on the remaining pieces in the colander and extract as much liquid as you can into the bowl. Discard of what remains in the colander. Fill the measuring bowl the remaining way with water until the broth reaches 3.5 cups total. Set aside.
• Set the instant pot to sear/sauté on medium high heat and add ¼ cup of vegetable oil.
• Slice ¼ of a white onion into thin slices and add to the pot to fry. After 2 minutes, add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds. Periodically stir until it begins to brown.
• Squeeze the softened garlic out of the cloves from the garlic bulb you set aside and add the garlic to the pot, discarding the peels.
• Add 2 teaspoons of garlic paste and 1 teaspoon of ginger paste to the pot. Stir well. If the onions have reached golden brown at any time, reduce the heat to low.
• Dice 3 Roma tomatoes. Peel your potato and dice into about 1.5 inch cubes. Add both to the pot. Place the heat on medium low and cook for 5 minutes covered and 5 minutes uncovered. Stir a few times throughout.
• Add ¼ cup of yogurt and ½ tablespoon of garum masala to the pot and stir well. Fry on high heat for about 2 minutes while periodically stirring, and then reduce the heat to medium.
• Strain and rinse your rice and add it to the pot along with the broth you set aside. Stir and cover for 25 minutes.
• Pre-heat your oven to 350F.
• Remove the pot from your instant pot and fold in the beef you had set aside. cover the top in foil. Place in the oven for 20 minutes.
• While the pot is in the oven, prepare your garnish. Dice 2 Roma tomatoes, ¼ of a white onion, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lime. Mix together.
• Remove the pot from the oven and serve with a spoonful of garnish and raita.

  Enjoy!

Notes

Raita is an excellent addition to have on the side. Try my favorite, easy raita recipe here!