Tips and Tricks of Using a Pressure Cooker Efficiently

 

Cooking in a pressure cooker is an entirely different mechanism than that of conventional cookware. Even you are a professional cook; you need to have knowledge of how a pressure cooker works and what time is required to cook specific food. Meat, beans and pulses take longer to cook as compared to vegetables. Similarly one must also keep in mind that for some food one can leave the cooker closed and for some recipes one must open the lid as soon as possible releasing the steam.

Tips to ensure efficient cooking

Here are some tips that can help you to cook a perfect meal using a pressure cooker in less time. 

1. When using an electric pressure cooker one must wait for the cooker to heat up before putting any food or closing the lid
2. Make informed decision about the time it takes for different food items to cook in the pressure cooker and read the user manual carefully.
3. Carefully determine the pressure level of the cooker and make sure there is enough water in the cooker according to given indication of water levels.
4. Don’t put too much water in the vessel or it will start to come out with the extra steam. Some space is required to build the pressure at top of the vessel.
5. Don’t put little amount of water as it will not produce required amount of steam to cook food.
6. Keep on checking the time when the cooker is under pressure. Check the food after a particular time and, if necessary, cook it again. Don’t make the mistake of leaving the cooker unattended. Keep on timing and checking for better results. You can do nothing if the food is overcooked. Better undercook it and then time it again later.
7. Cut the ingredients in the same small shapes. It will decrease the time, and food will be evenly cooked.
8. The gravy cooked in the pressure cooker is not thick and, you have to cook it on the stove or use some cornflour to thicken it.
9. Never in any condition, force the lid to open. Once the steam is released, it will open easily.

steam releasing mechanism

There are three ways of releasing steam from the cooker.

• Take it off the stove and allow it to cool at its own time. It is the most recommended method and is Eco friendly as well. One can take it off the stove before time and let the food cook in the remaining steam inside the cooker.
•  Releasing the pressure using the valve but don’t forget to use kitchen gloves or, your hands might burn.
• Put it under cold water to allow it to cool down quickly and open the lid.

Water level according to food type:

 

Food type	Level of water in Pressure Cooker
Liquid Food, Soup, Casserole	Not more than ½ filled including the liquid
Vegetables and meat joints	Not to be filled more than 2/3 including liquid
Expandable foods like cereals, pasta, pulses, rice	Not to be filled more than 1/3

Also Check

How a Pressure cooker works?

Difference between pressure cooker and pressure canners