Instant Pot comes to the rescue when it’s too hot to cook

Makes 4 servings

This is a simplified version of beef rendang, a dry-style curry usually involving a long, slow simmer in coconut milk that’s spiked with an aromatic spice paste. The fall-apart-tender beef is left coated with a thick, rich, and intensely flavorful sauce.

Toasted coconut is a key flavoring in the dish; we use the Instant Pot’s sauté function to toast it as the first step, then turn off the pot by pressing Cancel; the residual heat is ideal for gently cooking the aromatics and spices.

Serve the curry with plenty of steamed rice.

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

4 Fresno or serrano chilies, 3 stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped, and 1 thinly sliced, to serve

3 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

1 lemon grass stalk, tough outer layers removed, trimmed to lower 6 inches and thinly sliced

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

1 medium shallot, roughly chopped

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 star anise pod

1 tablespoon grated lime zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

¾ cup coconut milk

2½ to 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1½- to 2-inch chunks

Fresh cilantro, to serve

To a 6-quart Instant Pot, add the shredded coconut, then select Normal/Medium Sauté. Cook, stirring frequently, until the coconut is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Press Cancel, then add the chopped chilies, garlic, lemon grass, ginger, shallot, turmeric, cinnamon, star anise, lime zest, ¾ teaspoon salt, and 1½ teaspoons pepper. Using the pot’s residual heat, cook the mixture, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the coconut milk and beef, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom, then distribute in an even layer.

Lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Sealing. Press Pressure Cook or Manual; make sure the pressure level is set to High. Set the cooking time for 25 minutes. When pressure-cooking is complete, let the pressure reduce naturally for 15 minutes, then release the remaining steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.

Using tongs, transfer the meat to a small bowl and set aside. Pour the cooking liquid into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Add the solids from the strainer to a blender, then pour in ¼ cup of the strained liquid; discard the remaining liquid or reserve for another use. Blend on high until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the sides as needed. Pour the puree back into the pot, then stir in the beef and lime juice. Select Normal/Medium Sauté and cook, stirring often, until the sauce clinging to the bottom of the pot is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Press Cancel to turn off the pot. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the sliced chili and cilantro.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

For our Instant Pot version of Mexican carnitas, we reduce the rich, meaty cooking liquid to concentrate the flavors, then use it to moisten the fork-tender pork. You can stop there and serve the carnitas as is or make it even more delicious by crisping it in a hot skillet in its own rendered fat. (If you plan to fry the pork after shredding, be sure to reserve the fat you skim off the cooking liquid for crisping the meat.) To crisp the pork, in a 12-inch nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat, warm 1 teaspoon of the reserved pork fat until barely smoking. Add the pork and cook, without stirring, pressing the meat against the skillet, until the bottom is browned and crisp, three to five minutes.

Serve the carnitas with rice and beans or as tacos. Either way, the pickled red onions are a must — their sharp acidity balances the richness of the pork.

Be sure to keep the fat on the pork; it’s essential for flavor.

½ cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon white sugar

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

2 medium red onions, halved and thinly sliced, divided

1 jalapeño chili, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced lengthwise

1 tablespoon grape-seed or other neutral oil

10 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, untrimmed, cut into 2-inch chunks

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano

In a medium bowl, stir together the vinegar, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt until dissolved. Stir in 1 red onion and the jalapeño; cover and refrigerate while you cook the pork. On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select More/High Sauté. Add the oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the remaining onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the pork, cumin, coriander, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and ½ cup water. Stir, then distribute in an even layer.

Press Cancel, lock the lid in place, and move the pressure valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; make sure the pressure level is set to High. Set the cooking time for 30 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, allow the pressure to reduce naturally for 15 minutes, then quick-release the remaining steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat-onion mixture to a large bowl. Cool for a few minutes, then break the meat into bite-size pieces. Skim off the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid; reserve the fat if you plan to fry the pork before serving (see headnote). Select More/High Sauté. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about ½ cup (about ƒ-inch depth in the pot), about 15 minutes. Press Cancel to turn off the pot. Add the pork and stir until heated through and evenly moistened. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the pickled onions.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Our Instant Pot version of classic Indian butter chicken is rich and flavorful, but its creaminess doesn’t come from a flood of dairy, as is commonly the case. Instead, we give curry its requisite velvetiness with cashews (pureed in a blender with water) and only 3 tablespoons of butter. For best flavor, use roasted salted cashews rather than raw.

The cilantro is added at the end, so to save time and ensure it remains fresh, prep it while the chicken cooks.

Serve with basmati rice or warm naan.

1 cup roasted salted cashews

14½-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

3 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, divided

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or ¾ teaspoon sweet paprika plus ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, divided

In a blender, puree the cashews and æ cup water until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; set aside. In the now-empty blender, puree the tomatoes with their juices until smooth, about 1 minute.

On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select Normal Sauté. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and melt. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, and chili powder; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chicken and tomato puree, then distribute in an even layer.

Press Cancel, lock the lid in place, and move the pressure valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; make sure the pressure level is set to High. Set the time for 10 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, quick-release the steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.

Stir the cashew puree and remaining 1 tablespoon butter into the chicken mixture, scraping the bottom of the pot. Select Less/Low Sauté and cook, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened and coats the chicken, 4 to 5 minutes. Using pot holders, carefully remove the insert from the housing. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in half of the cilantro, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.

Christopher Kimball is the founder of Milk Street, home to a magazine, school, and radio and television shows. Globe readers get 12 weeks of complete digital access, plus two issues of Milk Street print magazine, for just $1. Go to 177milkstreet.com/globe. Send comments to [email protected].