Instant Pot Harissa

This Instant Pot harissa-spiced rice is so flavorful, a mix of spicy, smoky and sweet all at once. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, don’t worry — stovetop instructions are included below as well.

Diana Henry’s Moroccan chicken and rice recipe is a good one to know: a modest amount of prep produces a super flavorful, one-pan wonder of a dish that feeds a small crowd.

There’s no browning of the chicken first to render the fat and crisp up the skin — everything just gets added to the pot and baked uncovered for 40 minutes. The method yields beautifully brown chicken skin, juicy meat, and cooked rice.

But what if you don’t eat chicken? I do, but this is a dish or, rather, the flavors of this dish are something I would want to share with everyone: the combination of spicy, smoky harissa with sweet dates and fresh orange is irresistible.

Topped with roasted vegetables or sautéed greens or a poached egg, this rice could be a nice foundation for many a hearty vegetarian meal.

Recently I tried making the dish exactly as written but without chicken, and while it worked, it didn’t work perfectly: without the layer of protection from the chicken (and the extra moisture it provides), the rice, especially around the edges, got a little too crispy—too burnt, I would imagine, for many people’s liking. (Ben and I ate every kernel.) The pan, moreover, was a pain to clean.

Two Ways to Make Instant Pot Rice with Dates and Harissa

1. A traditional pilaf style: sweat an onion, stir in the rice and seasonings, add liquid, cover, and simmer over very low heat until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
2. The Instant Pot method: use the sauté function first to sweat the onion and garlic; then cover the pot, and cook the rice for 6 minutes at high pressure.

Both methods work beautifully, but if I had to pick a winner, I’d say the Instant Pot, which really excels at rice cooking , has a slight edge—the kernels were just a teensy bit more firm, which I liked.

Here’s how you make this Moroccan rice: Gather your ingredients: onion, garlic, harissa , dates (love Rancho Meladuco Date Farm ), white basmati rice, orange, and bay leaf.

The flavor of the freshly squeezed orange juice and zest are so nice here.

Chop, rinse, zest, and juice away!

For the stovetop method: Sauté an onion.

Add the garlic and harissa.

Stir.

Add the rice.

Stir.

Add the dates and orange zest.

Stir.

Juice an orange into a liquid measure; then add enough water to create 1 1/3 cups liquid. (This is for 1 cup of rice.)

Bring to a simmer, cover, then simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let stand at least 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork and serving.

Ta-da!

Instant Pot Method: Use the sauté function to sauté the onion.

Add the garlic and harissa.

Add the rice.

Add the dates and orange zest.

Juice an orange into a liquid measure; then add enough water to create 1 cup of liquid. (This is for 1 cup of rice.)

Add the liquid, stir, cover pot, cook using the manual, high pressure setting for 6 minutes, then let the valve release naturally for at least 20 minutes.

Ta-da!

I think the Instant Pot rice (left) has a slight edge over the stovetop rice (right), but the flavor of each is so good and the difference is subtle.

This was the batch I made in the oven. It’s hard to tell from the photo, but there are a lot of crispy (burnt) pieces of rice, which I kind of love, but which I think many people would not.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons harissa
• 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear (do not use brown rice)
• 6 medjool dates, pitted and diced
• 1 orange, zested and juiced

1. In a large skillet over high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Add a pinch of salt, and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and bay leaf to the onions, and cook for another minute more. Add the harissa. Stir to incorporate. Add the rice and stir for another minute or until each grain is glistening. Add the dates and the orange zest. Squeeze the orange into a liquid measure and add enough water to create 1 and 1/3 cups liquid. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan. Stir to combine.
3. Bring to a simmer, cover pan, turn heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork. There should be a bit of nice caramelization on the bottom of the pan — I like to scrape this up and incorporate it into the rice. Serve immediately.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Rice
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Moroccan

Description

I have this 6-qt Instant Pot , which is important only because the size of the pot may affect the timing. These instructions work for my IP, but you may have to adjust with more time depending on the size of your IP.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons harissa
• 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 6 medjool dates, pitted and diced
• 1 orange, zested and juiced

1. Using the sauté function of your Instant Pot, heat the oil and onions, stirring often until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt, the garlic, and bay leaf, and cook for another minute more. Add the harissa. Stir to incorporate. Add the rice and stir for another minute or until each grain is glistening. Add the dates and the orange zest. Squeeze the orange into a liquid measure and add enough water to create 1 cup liquid. Add it to the pot along with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine.
2. Cover the Instant Pot and be sure the valve is turned to sealing. Using the manual setting, set the IP to high pressure for 6 minutes. Let the valve release naturally for at least 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork. There should be a bit of nice caramelization on the bottom of the pan — I like to scrape this up and incorporate it into the rice before serving.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes

• Cook Time: 30 minutes

• Category: Rice

• Method: Instant Pot

• Cuisine: Moroccan

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 tablespoons harissa

• 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear (do not use brown rice)

• 6 medjool dates, pitted and diced

• 1 orange, zested and juiced

1. In a large skillet over high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Add a pinch of salt, and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and bay leaf to the onions, and cook for another minute more. Add the harissa. Stir to incorporate. Add the rice and stir for another minute or until each grain is glistening. Add the dates and the orange zest. Squeeze the orange into a liquid measure and add enough water to create 1 and 1/3 cups liquid. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan. Stir to combine.
3. Bring to a simmer, cover pan, turn heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork. There should be a bit of nice caramelization on the bottom of the pan — I like to scrape this up and incorporate it into the rice. Serve immediately.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Rice
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Moroccan

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2018/03/28/moroccan-rice-with-harissa-dates-and-orange-two-ways-instant-pot-stovetop/

Description

I have this 6-qt Instant Pot , which is important only because the size of the pot may affect the timing. These instructions work for my IP, but you may have to adjust with more time depending on the size of your IP.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons harissa
• 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 6 medjool dates, pitted and diced
• 1 orange, zested and juiced

1. Using the sauté function of your Instant Pot, heat the oil and onions, stirring often until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt, the garlic, and bay leaf, and cook for another minute more. Add the harissa. Stir to incorporate. Add the rice and stir for another minute or until each grain is glistening. Add the dates and the orange zest. Squeeze the orange into a liquid measure and add enough water to create 1 cup liquid. Add it to the pot along with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine.
2. Cover the Instant Pot and be sure the valve is turned to sealing. Using the manual setting, set the IP to high pressure for 6 minutes. Let the valve release naturally for at least 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork. There should be a bit of nice caramelization on the bottom of the pan — I like to scrape this up and incorporate it into the rice before serving.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Rice
• Method: Instant Pot
• Cuisine: Moroccan

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2018/03/28/moroccan-rice-with-harissa-dates-and-orange-two-ways-instant-pot-stovetop/

Last Thursday after yoga class, my friend Martha said she had something for me. As we walked out the door, she pulled from her pocket a little baggie holding a single, coconut-dusted ball, which she handed to me, and which I ate immediately.

The little treasure disappeared quickly, but I played my favorite game— guess what’s in it! —even so, identifying coconut, lemon, and dates. When I got stumped, Martha filled in the blanks: ginger, vanilla, and coconut manna , also known as coconut butter, an ingredient I had never before used.

Coconut butter was new to Martha as well, but after spotting the recipe for these “lemon pie” date balls in The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook , she made the trek to Honest Weight Food Co-op for the manna and hasn’t looked back since. Neither have I.

These no-cook date balls are so tasty and easy to throw together, too: purée pitted dates, coconut butter, ginger (fresh or powdered), fresh lemon juice, and vanilla (bean or extract) in a food processor; portion the mixture into balls; then roll the balls to coat in a mix of shredded coconut, lemon zest, and sea salt, which is incredibly delicious and pretty to boot.

What is Coconut Manna?

You may be wondering how coconut manna differs from coconut oil and if you can use the two interchangeably. Unfortunately, you cannot:

• Coconut oil is the oil that has been extracted from the coconut meat.
• Coconut butter is made from the flesh that has been ground into a spreadable paste.
• Coconut oil is best used for cooking (sautéting, roasting, and baking).
• Coconut butter is best used with foods that are already cooked.

Note: Per Martha’s suggestion, I store these balls in the freezer and find it nearly impossible to walk by without sneaking one. They’re not too sweet, nicely chewy, and completely satisfying. I think you’ll approve.

Description

How, you might be wondering, does coconut manna differ from coconut oil? Coconut oil is the oil that has been extracted from the coconut meat, whereas coconut butter is made from the flesh that has been ground into a spreadable paste. You cannot, unfortunately, substitute one for the other. Coconut oil is used for cooking (sautéting, roasting, and baking), and coconut butter is used with foods that are already cooked.

Notes from The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook: In order to measure the coconut concentrate, it is best to soften it in a warm-water bath before use, as it is solid at room temperature. (I did not do this.) If you find yourself sensitive to vanilla bean seeds, scrape out the seeds and just use the pod.

• Zest of 2 lemons
• 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups dates, pitted (about 28, soft ones are best)
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger or a small knob of fresh ginger
• 1 whole vanilla bean, minced or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons coconut butter , see notes above

1. Combine the lemon zest, coconut flakes, and sea salt in a shallow bowl and set aside.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a food processor, and pulse to process until a “ball” forms. If the mixture is still too dry, add 1 tsp of water at a time until it does form a ball.
3. Roll the mixture into approximately 25 to 30 small balls—I use a #100 scoop for this—then roll through the lemon zest mixture to coat. Place on a plate, and transfer to the freezer for 5 minutes to harden. Then transfer to an airtight container for storage in the refrigerator or freezer—I store in the freezer in a quart container .

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Cookie
• Method: No-Bake
• Cuisine: American