Last Updated on July 27, 2023
Exotic cuisines worldwide offer a treasure trove of new flavors, ingredients, and cooking techniques to explore. Dishes like Ethiopian doro wat chicken stew or Brazilian moqueca seafood stew transport your tastebuds to faraway lands. While these exotic recipes may seem intimidating to recreate at home, modern multicookers like the Instant Pot have made cooking global cuisine accessible to home cooks. The Instant Pot’s pressure cooking function significantly reduces cooking times for dishes that traditionally simmer for hours while still infusing complex flavors. With just a few key ingredients and spices, you can easily whip up restaurant-quality ethnic dishes from the comfort of your kitchen.
According to a Statista, retail sales of ethnic cooking products in the U.S. amounted to approximately 127.4 million U.S. dollars in the last decade. The growing popularity of exotic dishes reflects our multicultural society and the expanding palates of modern diners. Cooking global recipes expands our understanding of new cultures while satisfying our craving for bold new flavors. The Instant Pot streamlines this culinary adventure, unlocking the possibility of easily preparing exotic dishes any night of the week.
Let’s explore ten tantalizing exotic dishes you can cook in your Instant Pot.
1. Ethiopian Doro Wat
This exotic Ethiopian chicken stew, known as doro wat, packs incredible flavor from its spice-infused red sauce. Toast berbere spice blend—containing chilies, garlic, ginger, fenugreek, and more—to bloom the flavors. Sauté onions and berbere powder before adding chicken and broth. Pressure cook for 15 minutes to infuse the chicken with intense spice and richness.
Finish by stirring in niter kibbeh, a traditional Ethiopian spiced clarified butter, for even more flavor. Enjoy this instant pot Ethiopian chicken drumsticks doro wat with injera flatbread for an authentic experience.
2. Thai Green Curry
Transport your tastebuds to the bustling streets of Bangkok with this fragrant green curry. Traditional Thai curries meld sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors into a harmonious sauce. Instant Pot can quickly simmer chicken, vegetables, and creamy coconut milk into an authentic curry bursting with Thai essence.
Toast aromatic ingredients like lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves to form the curry base. Then, add spicy green chilies and cooling herbs like basil and cilantro. The pressurized environment permeates the chicken and vegetables with an intense Thai flavor.
3. Feijoada
This hearty Brazilian stew makes for a mouthwatering meal. Feijoada contains smoky cured meats like sausage, ham hocks, and bacon simmered with black beans until tender. Seasonings like onions, garlic, orange, and bay leaves add complex layers of flavor. The meat infuses the beans with a rich, savory broth as they cook under pressure.
For an exotic feast, you can top this Brazilian staple with tangy orange slices, fluffy rice, and sautéed collard greens. The Instant Pot creates authentic feijoada in under an hour.
4. Osso Buco
This Italian veal shank stew gains incredible richness after pressure cooking. Osso buco features meat that braises into fall-off-the-bone tenderness and a luscious gravy packed with flavor.
Briefly sear the veal shanks to caramelize the exterior before adding aromatics like carrots, onion, and celery. Pour in wine and broth, adding seasonings like garlic, tomatoes, and herbs. Pressure cook for an hour until the veal is meltingly tender.
Garnish this Instant Pot dish with gremolata before serving alongside risotto for a taste of Italy.
5. Jamaican Curry Goat
Warm up with the vibrant spices of Jamaica through this island curry. Cubed goat meat turns deliciously tender after stewing with potatoes and carrots.
Aromatic ingredients like onions, scallion, garlic, ginger, and thyme create the flavor base. The curry powder and Scotch bonnet chilies add a spicy kick. All the ingredients meld together in the Instant Pot to create a fantastic Jamaican curry.
Just 30 minutes is enough time for the goat to become infused with flavor and soften. Serve this over fluffy white rice for a mouthwatering meal.
6. Peruvian Ceviche
Turn fresh fish into ceviche in minutes right in your Instant Pot. This popular Peruvian appetizer “cooks” fish through a marinade of citrus juice, onions, and chilies—the acidity firms up the fish without heat. Mix fish with lemon or lime juice, diced onions, ají peppers, cilantro, and seasonings.
Pulse the Instant Pot on high pressure for 1-2 minutes until the fish becomes opaque. The quick pressure cooking time infuses flavor while retaining the fish’s tender texture. Chill the ceviche before serving with corn, nuts, and sweet potato for authentic Peruvian flavors.
7. Moroccan Tagine
This North African braise becomes fall-off-the-bone tender in the Instant Pot. A tagine typically contains meat or poultry simmered with fruits, olives, and warming Moroccan spices.
Build deep flavor by first sautéing the protein with onions, garlic, and spices like cumin, cinnamon, coriander, and saffron. Add ingredients like chopped preserved lemon, apricots, chickpeas, and olives before pressure cooking. The meat soaks up all the incredible flavors to create a rich, aromatic tagine. Serve over couscous for a fast weeknight meal with exotic flair.
8. Colombian Sancocho
Warm up with this hearty Colombian chicken and potato stew bolstered with bright citrus and cilantro. Briefly sauté the chicken to lightly brown before adding onions, garlic, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Season with oregano, cilantro, lime juice, and chicken broth. Pressure cook until the chicken is fall-apart tender, about 20 minutes. Finally, add diced potatoes and pressure cook for five more minutes. The potatoes soak up the rich flavors of the broth. Top this Instant Pot sancocho with lime wedges, cilantro, and avocado for a comforting Latin American soup.
9. Indian Butter Chicken
Conjure the exotic spices of India with this creamy, irresistible butter chicken made in your Instant Pot. Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, garam masala, cumin, and other spices to build a flavorful sauce. Add chicken and yogurt for tenderness before pressure cooking. Finish by stirring in butter, cream, and fenugreek leaves for a luxurious, silky texture.
The Instant Pot perfectly melds the spices, chicken, and rich sauce into an exotic dish ready in under an hour. Serve with basmati rice and naan bread for a weekday meal with Indian flair.
10. Cuban Ropa Vieja
Shredded beef stew shines in this Cuban classic, translating to “old clothes” after the stringy appearance of the meat. Pressure-cook beef chuck roasts with onions, peppers, garlic, oregano, cumin, and bay leaves to infuse Cuban flavor. Once tender, shred the beef before mixing in briny green olives and capers. The Instant Pot’s pressurized environment thoroughly penetrates the beef with flavor in under an hour. Serve this exotic shredded beef over rice with fried plantains for a taste of the Caribbean.
Conclusion
From Thai curries to Brazilian stews, the Instant Pot can transport your dinner table to exotic new destinations. Experiment with global spices, herbs, and ingredients to bring authentic ethnic cuisine to your kitchen. The pressurized environment quickly infuses rich flavors into dishes that traditionally require lengthy cooking times. In an hour or less, you can whip up restaurant-worthy ethnic food from the comfort of your kitchen. Broaden your culinary horizons with these tantalizing exotic dishes conveniently made in your Instant Pot.