Leslie's Pressure Cooker Pinto Beans

Every time I eat bean and rice at Leslie's house, I can't believe how good they are. I soak mine overnight, but I don't know that it makes a difference. https://www.apinchofhealthy.com/instant-pot-pinto-beans/

• 1 pound dry pinto beans
• 5 1/2 cups water
• 1 2/3 Tablespoon Better Than Bullion vegetable base
• salt and pepper to taste (Honestly, mine didn't need any. The BTB flavored them perfectly. Taste them first.)

Instructions

1. Rinse off your pinto beans, and drain them using a wire mesh strainer.

2. Add them to the Instant Pot, along with the water and Better Than Bullion vegetable base.

3. Close and lock the lid, and cook on manual high pressure for 45 minutes. Note: It will take several minutes to come to pressure.

4. Allow the pressure to naturally release (Do not use the valve, but let it sit until the pressure indicator pin drops on its own. Mine took about 26 minutes, FYI.)

Recipe Notes

45 minutes is the pressure cook time, but this will take longer than that to cook. The pot takes a little while to come up to pressure, plus about 25 minute to naturally release.

Thai-Style Shrimp/Chicken and Rice Soup

Adapted from Gourmet 2005 Cookbook (also found here: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/thai-style-chicken-and-rice-soup-109019)

I was worried the curry paste might make it too spicy; it really wasn't spicy at all, and I think by using chicken in place of shrimp and skipping the fish sauce, this would make a tasty top-8 allergen free dinner.

INGREDIENTS

8 cups homemade chicken stock 

1 heaping tablespoon Thai green curry paste*

4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 (2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed I only had ground coriander, since it is run through a paper towel, I just used that instead

2 cups loosely packed whole fresh cilantro leaves plus 1/2 cup chopped (from 2 large bunches)

1 cup jasmine rice

3 stalks celery, medium chop

1 cup carrots, medium chop

3/4 lb medium shrimp in shell (31 to 35 per lb), peeled and deveined

1 (13- to 14-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred well I used light since that's what I had

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Accompaniment: lime wedges

PREPARATION

Combine stock, water, curry paste, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, and whole cilantro leaves in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, then simmer, uncovered, until ginger is softened, about 15 minutes. Pour through a paper-towel-lined sieve into a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot and discard solids. Stir rice into soup and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes. The celery and carrots are my additions; I added them with the rice, and I thought the texture was perfect.

Add shrimp and poach at a bare simmer, uncovered, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and fish sauce and simmer, uncovered, until peas are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice, salt, and chopped cilantro. I added a dash of fish sauce and lime juice to my bowl right before I ate my lunch.

*Available at Asian markets, some specialty foods shops, and some supermarkets.