Easy Instant Pot Veal Pepper Phaal

Phaal is a traditional South Indian meat dish which is hot and spicy, used to be served in restaurants in South India and seems to have originated in Bangalore or Chennai. I grew up eating this phaal in Chennai with rotis or steamed rice. Eating it with rotis took me back into memory lane which reminded me of my mom’s mutton phaal. My dad loved to eat it with rotis and so do I.

This is a delicious preparation of baby veal using pepper masala spices in a different combination. It is a variation of the Lamb Pepper Masala which is different in texture and flavour because of the cooking technique even though more or less the same ingredients are used. The meat here is well covered with the ground pepper masala or is rather slathered in the masala as seen in the picture above unlike the Lamb Pepper Masala dish which has light fried masala coating the lamb pieces.

Ingredients:
2 lbs baby veal
4 tbs canola oil
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp salt
For the green masala
1 medium sized onion or 1/2 cup chopped.
2 heaped tsp ginger garlic paste
6 green chillies
2 sprigs of cilantro (1/2 cup chopped with stems)
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 tbs black pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
4 cloves
4 green cardamoms
1×2” cinnamon stick

Instructions:
1. To the Instant Pot add the veal, salt, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, coriander powder and 1 cup of water. Close the lid, turn the steam release valve to sealing position. Plug in the Instant Pot, press the “Meat/Stew” button and set the time for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile pulse the dry spices (black pepper, cumin seeds, fennel, cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon stick) in a wet grinder, then add the onion, green chillies, cilantro and fresh mint. Grind everything together to a slightly coarse paste and set aside.
3. Once the meat is done, allow for NPR (natural pressure release) and open the lid when all the steam is out. Now add the canola oil and the ground green masala to the Instant Pot.
4. Hit “Cancel” and on sauté mode cook the veal in the green masala till it thickens to the point that it coats the meat well or rather the meat is slathered in the masala.
5. Switch off the Instant Pot, adjust the salt, sprinkle some ground black pepper and serve hot with steamed rice or rotis (flat bread). It is just so yummy and outrageously delicious!