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CSA Layered Indian Dinner from Kathy Hester’s, The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook For Your Instant Pot. One pot. Hands off. Done all at the same time. So easy. Get the recipe, plus a full review of the book below.
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I’m so excited about today’s post! I’ve got a review of Kathy Hester’s new cookbook, The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook For Your Instant Pot. I’m going to tell you why you need to get an Instant Pot if you don’t already have one. And, best of all, I get to share with you Kathy’s amazing recipe for this CSA Layered Indian Dinner – you won’t believe how easy it is!
Before receiving Kathy’s cookbook, I had no idea layered meals were even a possibility. You see three distinct “layers” in the dish above – rice, root vegetables, and dal. These were all cooked in the same pot and the same time! This seriously blew my mind. This Indian Dinner is the ultimate “set it and forget it” meal.
I love the flavors of Indian cooking. So fragrant and warm. The day I made this dish, my son came home from school and said, “Can I have some of whatever I smell? It smells good!” Indeed, the house smelled amazing!
This Indian dinner was surprisingly easy to make. Indian food usually calls for lots of spices and this dish is no different. However, if you follow my blog regularly, you likely have most of these spices in your spice rack already (or you should!). The only curveball is curry leaves, but that’s an optional ingredient.
You layer all the ingredients, 2 of them in separate containers, inside the Instant Pot! This was new to me and I was skeptical, but it worked brilliantly! Everything was done at the same time, perfectly cooked.
Why You Need an Instant Pot
I’ve mentioned before how much I love my Instant Pot. I sang my praises for this 7-in-1 device here. I tell everyone they need one. Here’s why –
- It has 7 different functions: pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, sauté/browning, yogurt maker, steamer, and warmer!
- Save space and throw away (or sell!) your other small appliances – you only need this one!
- Meals done in half the time!
- No soaking needed to cook dried beans!
- Fully programmable – dinner ready when you are!
- You can bake in it!
- Easy clean up – removable inner pot!
The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook For Your Instant Pot by Kathy Hester
If you have an Instant Pot, you need this cookbook! So much variety. So many tips and tricks. Kathy walks you through all in the ins and outs of your Instant Pot, including care instructions, cooking methods, presets, troubleshooting, and even what Kathy calls “Ninja Instant Pot Tricks” – you won’t find these in your manual!
In addition to the Introduction Chapter, there are 8 recipe chapters. Let’s take a look inside.
Five Recipes to Start You Out: The Best Not-Refried Beans; Pear Cardamom Steel-Cut Oats for Two; Super Easy Weeknight One-Pot Pasta
Quick and Easy Homemade Staples to Save You Money: No-Effort Soy Yogurt; Instant Pot Vegetable Bouillon; DIY Andouille Seitan Sausage
Bean and Lentil Recipes That Cook in Half the Time: Tomatillo-Poblano White Beans; Kidney Bean Etouffée; Black Bean Quinoa Burgers
Fun and Delicious Way to Add in More Whole Grains: Perfect Kamut (and Other Long-Cooking Grains); Vegan Sushi Bowl; Whole-Grain Cornbread
Eat Your Vegetables: Easy and Elegant Plant-Based Fare: Whole Spaghetti Squash; Not-Baked Potatoes; Vegan Cauliflower Queso
Fast and Comforting One-Pot Meals: Mushroom and Butternut Squash Chili Bean Soup; Welcome Spring Pea and Asparagus Risotto; Winter One-Pot Lentils and Rice
Cook It All at the Same Time: Layered Meals with Sides: One-Pot Burrito Bowls; Cheesy Potato Pierogies (Polish Dumplings); Southern Breakfast
Decadent and Healthy Desserts: Salted Date Caramel Tapioca Pudding; Holiday Orange Spice Cake; Spiced Oat-Stuffed Apples
Which are you most excited to try first?
More vegan Instant Pot recipes
More vegan Indian recipes
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Don’t forget to order a copy of The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook For Your Instant Pot and start enjoying fuss free meals ready in an instant!
Layered Indian Dinner for the Instant Pot
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
Yellow Dal Layer
- 2 cups (475 ml) water
- ½ cup (96g) yellow split peas moong dal, red lentils, or combination
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground coriander
Curried Root Vegetable Layer
- 2 cups (490g) diced turnip beet, potato or other root vegetable
- 1 tablespoon (15mL) water
- 1 tablespoon (6g) finely shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon crumbled curry leaves dry or fresh (optional)
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ⅛ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon fennel seeds
Rice Layer
- 1 cup (185g) brown basmati rice
- 1 ¼ cups (295mL) water
Before Serving
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
- For the yellow dal layer, add all the yellow dal ingredients directly to the Instant Pot liner, mix well, and add the rack on top of that.
- For the curried vegetable layer, add all the curried root vegetable ingredients to a short Pyrex container and toss. Place on the rack above the dal. (If you need to, you can wrap this layer in foil if you can’t fit two Pyrex containers above the dal.)
- For the rice layer, combine the rice and water together in a short Pyrex container and place, uncovered, on top of the root veggie layer.
- Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure indicator goes down, remove the lid and carefully lift out the pans.
- Before serving, taste each component and add salt to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Kat
I just found your fantastic site, and purchased your book after falling in love with nearly every recipe I saw! THANK YOU for this site, and especially the whole-foods desserts that actually look appealing!!
AND, I’ve been debating Ms. Hester’s and a couple other books since I got my (beloved) IntstantPot. Decided I could trust the recommendation of anyone with recipes as good as yours, so bought that with your (I hope) affiliate link too!
THANKYOU*THANKYOU*THANKYOU!
Jenn Sebestyen
Thank you so much, Kat! I am so happy you are enjoying the recipe and I hope you love the book, too. Kathy’s recipes are wonderful – you won’t be disappointed! Thank you!
Nathan - Run Dream Achieve
Great recipe Jenn. I have been working to improve my diet. I’ve spent nearly 3 decades training as a long distance runner. Often times, we as runners don’t take our nutrition as seriously as we do our physical training. Love this recipe, will share it with my wife as well.
Judy Stone
Brilliant! Just made it this morning to have for the week. For my taste preference when I make again I would use some grated ginger in the dal layer and bump up the spice a bit in both dal and veggies but it was easy and so much fun to have multiple dishes all done at once. Thanks for sharing Jenn!
Jenn S.
Wonderful, Judy! So happy you loved it. Ginger sounds like a fantastic addition!
Nona
I just found this recipe- looks delicious and I have a bounty from my csa. Is the 40 min cooking time correct? (I’m an instant pot newbie and have yet to cook anything that long!)
Jenn S.
Hi, Nona. Yes, 40 minutes is correct. I know it seems like a long time for the Instant Pot, but mine came out perfectly. I hope you enjoy it. Let me know how it turns out.
Spike
When you do these layered meals, do you cover the dishes you are using for the layers?
Spike
What I mean is do you use silicone or metal covers if they come with the dishes?
Jenn S.
Hi, Spike. I covered the bottom dish with foil and set the top dish on that uncovered.
Spike
Thanks! Planning this for Friday with dinner guests. Looks great!
Jenn S.
Great! I hope everyone enjoys it!
Janet MacDonald
I’m unsure how to set the 2 Pyrex bowls in the ipot? If they are round, does the top one fit the top edge of the bottom dish ?
Jenn S.
Hi, Janet. I covered the bottom Pyrex bowl loosely in foil and then set the other bowl on top of that. I was skeptical going in, but it turned out perfectly! Let me know how it turns out!
Sarah
I’m still a total newbie with my Instant Pot! I have this book and need to dig in a little bit more—everything looks so delicious!
Jenn S.
I haven’t really experimented on my own, but I love following other people’s recipes! 🙂 It’s definitely a time saver!