12 Rules for Perfect Instant Pot Indian Cooking

7. Use Pot-in-Pot (PIP) for Rice + Dal

Pot-in-pot lets you cook dal and basmati at once without sacrificing texture. Place the dal and its cooking water in the main pot, set a trivet, then put rinsed basmati in a heatproof stainless-steel bowl on top, covered tightly with foil. Research shows effective PIP dal-plus-rice combos can finish in around 20 minutes total depending on pulses and soak time. PIP preserves rice grain shape because it cooks in indirect steam rather than sitting directly on the hot base. Seal bowls well so steam doesn’t condense excessively into the rice. After pressure and a brief natural release, remove the rice bowl quickly and fluff gently with a fork. PIP makes a tidy one-pot dinner and saves cleanup, which is perfect for weeknights, packed tiffins, or batch-cooking weekends.