Chicken Curry with Chickpeas and Cauliflower

SERVES: 4

PRESSURE LEVEL: HIGH

RELEASE: QUICK

TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 1¼ HOURS

TIME UNDER PRESSURE: 20 MINUTES

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Curries are especially well suited to cooking under pressure since pressure cookers amplify the flavor of spices and seasonings. We started by browning half of the chicken to create some fond, then sautéed the spices along with onion and tomato paste to help develop their flavor. We rounded out the curry’s base with some chicken broth. Nutty chickpeas and cauliflower worked well here, absorbing the flavors of the curry and complementing the mild chicken. The cooking time of the chicken was too short to allow for cooking dried chickpeas at the same time, so we used canned. We added both ingredients after cooking the chicken under pressure to more easily monitor their doneness and ensure they didn’t blow out or become mushy. Some coconut milk (also added at the end for fresher flavor) completed our curry with a touch of richness. See the step shot and Troubleshooting that follows the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

8

(5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed

Salt and pepper

1

tablespoon vegetable oil

2

onions, chopped fine

6

garlic cloves, minced

1

tablespoon curry powder

2

teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1

tablespoon tomato paste

1

teaspoon garam masala

1

cup low-sodium chicken broth

½

head cauliflower (1 pound), cored and cut into 1-inch florets

1

(14-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed

½

cup coconut milk

½

cup frozen peas

¼

cup minced fresh cilantro

1. BUILD FLAVOR: Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in pressure-cooker pot over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of thighs, skin side down, until golden, about 6 minutes; transfer to plate. Remove and discard skin from browned and unbrowned thighs. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot.

2. Add onions to fat left in pot and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, curry powder, ginger, tomato paste, and garam masala and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth. Using wooden spoon, scrape up all browned bits stuck on bottom of pot. Nestle chicken with any accumulated juices into pot.

3. HIGH PRESSURE FOR 20 MINUTES: Lock pressure-cooker lid in place and bring to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as pot reaches high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.

4. QUICK RELEASE PRESSURE: Remove pot from heat. Quick release pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.

5. BEFORE SERVING: Transfer chicken to plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Bring sauce to simmer, stir in cauliflower, chickpeas, and coconut milk and cook until cauliflower is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in peas and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Off heat, return chicken to pot and let heat through, about 2 minutes. Serve.