The pressure cooker is an essential cookware in Indian kitchens. There are many benefits to cooking food in a pressure cooker, but primarily, it decreases the cooking time substantially and retains most of the nutrients, making food flavorful. But this cookware must be used the right way to reap all its benefits. Here’s a bunch of dos and don’ts you must follow to make complete use of your pressure cooker.
Pressure Cooker Dos
- Read the Instructions: You may be a pro at cooking and using the pressure cooker, but when you have purchased a brand-new pressure cooker, you must read the instructions carefully before you start using it. Since every pressure cooker is different and comes with different safety features, it is best to read the set of instructions and follow them.
- Start With Simple Recipes: If you are new to cooking and are intimidated by this cookware, it is a smart thing to start with easy and simple recipes till you are comfortable using it and have gained some amount of confidence to make complex recipes.
- Use It to Retain Flavours: One of the main reasons for the popularity of the pressure cooker is that it can retain texture and flavour, making the meal tastier. Plus, it also seals in nutrients, making it a healthy choice for cookware.
- Add Enough Water: When you use a pressure cooker to make meals, ensure that you add enough water as it aids in accumulating steam to cook food properly and prevents food from burning. The thumb rule is to add at least 1 glass of liquid unless the recipe calls for not using so much liquid.
- Make Different Recipes: A pressure cooker has more uses than simply steaming rice and veggies. It can be used to add all the ingredients and make one-pot meals or desserts like custards and cheesecakes.
Pressure Cooker Don’ts
- Do Not Release Pressure Manually: It is best to allow the pressure cooker to naturally cool down without releasing the steam manually as it could leave the food uncooked.
- Do Not Open the Pressure Cooker While Cooking: The liquid inside the pressure cooker transforms to steam when it’s heated, and builds up high pressure, which facilitates cooking. You should not attempt to open it while the pressure is being built inside the cooker to prevent accidents. While cookers have many safety features to prevent people from opening them, it is best to avoid this practice. In case you do need to open the cooker lid while it is being used, switch off the flame and release the pressure manually.
- Do Not Overload the Cooker: You can fill 2/3rd of your pressure cooker’s capacity with food. For instance, if you have a 3L cooker, fill it only halfway and not more than that. Pressure cookers should not be filled all the way as the pressure developed inside will clog the release valve, damaging the cooker.
These dos and don’ts of using a pressure cooker are easy to follow and will definitely help you enjoy its long-term benefits.
