Hello foodies,
What’s your favourite thing in your kitchen? Of course, it can be more than one. Mine is Indian Pressure Cooker! Almost every Indian woman posses this faithful appliance in her kitchen. I don’t even dream my life without it. I’ve total 3 pressure cookers, 1.5 liters, 3 liters and 5.5 liters. I use one of them almost everyday. The oldest one is 1.5 liters has been serving me a faithful service without any problem since 2004. Touch wood!
Note: If you already know what’s pressure cooker and how to use it best then you may skip this post. ;-)
If you’re under heavy impression that your pressure cooker could only boil the raw and pre-soaked legumes and lentils. Think again! I make very delicious curries in just one whistle ~ all and everything cooking time is under 10 minutes!! Many people don’t prefer to cook any curry or subji in pressure cooker to avoid all dull and vapid taste. Come on! It saves your copious amount of energy, time and money. If you cook with some handy trick you can have a very delicious curry in minutes. I’m sharing my simple and very easy Potato Curry here. Till meet my best kitchen buddies here. :-)
There are number of different brands and models like stainless steel, aluminium, hard anodised and non-stick variety are available in market. I have Prestige brand that you can see the jumbo stainless steel cooker (5.5 liters) in above picture. While other two are from Tempo brand, (hard anodised body) 1.5 liters and 3 liters (handi shape) respectively. All are imported from India. I’ll add one more about 4 liters in my collection. :-) If you have a good friend from India ask/request them to bring one for you or you can find it on Amazon.
If you are first time user, go through your cooker manual and make sure you’ve read every page. The manual covers everything including how-to-use, operating instruction, tips, do and don’t and everything you need to know before you start. If you follow the manual or guidelines carefully you will be assured of years and years of trouble-free service. Once you got used to with it, you’ll regret that why you didn’t buy it before! I don’t stretch my fingers to type a long article on pressure cooker because everything is there in manual. :-)
Some tips from my experience:
- Always ensure that the rubber gasket is free of grease and in good condition. Never stretch your gasket.
- I always put the rubber gasket in freezer. It helps to last longer and tip-top condition. Other way, you can put in water, fully submerged. I find the earlier idea much easier.
- Make sure your vent tube is clean and clear. Sometimes the small piece of peas, lentils or anything is got clogged and excess steam generated in the cooker will have no escape route. This will result in the safety valve getting fused. So, remove any blockage from vent tube.
- Always check the safety valve and buy an extra piece as you never know when your valve will get fuse.
- The Pressure Regulator/Weight must always be placed on the vent tube when the steam is released steadily from it.
- Once your cooking is done, let your pressure cooker cool down. DO NOT tempt to open it immediately. Allow steam to escape at least for 10 minutes. Remove the pressure regulator after the steam has stopped and pressure inside subsides. You can use fork or spoon to lift up and allow to release the remaining steam.
- Do not wash your cooker in dishwasher. Follow the care instructions and you’ll have guaranteed service from your product.
Here is an example what I made in pressure cooker. It hardly takes 10 minutes. Excluding the preparation and resting time.
I know you mouth is watering already! ;-)
Here you go for recipe. If you don’t have this appliance you still have another choice. I already have posted similar recipe here. Below I’ve written down the recipe again with using pressure cooker.
Potato Curry/Batata nu shaak Recipe:
Batata = Potato and Shaak = Curry (dry or gravy) in Gujarati.
[For 2 people]
Ingredients:
- 3 medium potato, washed and chopped in medium bite size [I used brushed potatoes. I didn't remove the skin. But I brushed them very well to get rid of dust chunks and specs.]
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- a pinch of asafoetida/hing
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp red chili powder [adjust]
- 1 tsp dhana-jeera/coriander powder
- ½ tsp garam masala or Ramdev Achar Masala
- salt to taste
- ½ tsp sugar [optional]
- water as needed
How to:
1. Heat oil in pressure cooker, add mustard seeds and let it splutter for few seconds. Use your splatter screen or any pressure cooker lid to cover it as it’s going to splatter around. Add asafoetida/hing and chopped potatoes. Add 1/2 cup of water. Cover the lid and pressure cook till only one whistle. Otherwise your potato curry will turned mushy. Cook on medium high heat. Not very high though. Remove from the heat as soon as one whistle is done. Let it cool down bit. About 10 minutes.
2. Open the lid and add salt and spices. Adjust the consistency with adding more water. Taste and adjust. Serve hot with roti, paratha, avocado roti or plain rice. Score!
I told you it’s very easy peasy and fuss free recipe. This is our homely meal and I’ve record that I’d cooked even at 2AM some days. :-)
Try this sometime. I even make potato-eggplant curry same way. And I always have a great result with big time and energy saving!
Didn’t I tell you I’m obsessed with cookbooks. Today, I have got one more parcel. :D It’s Clean Food by Terry Walters
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Pressure cooker cooking is like my everyday need…I rely on my hawkins 2 ltrs for all my curries, dals..it is just wonderful and I cant imagine my cooking with out it…:)
even I hve 3 cookers 2ltr,5ltr,12ltr…ha ha..:)
2l n 5 l r hawkins n 12ltrs is prestige…..2l is good for daily needs n 5l is good for party needs….
and coming 2 d curry…it looks really delciious..love it..
prathibha´s last [type] ..Kharada Eerulli Dosa – Kaaram Dosa – Khara Dosa
Haha! I’m not alone to collect all sizes of cooker. :D Yes, I use my 5.5 liters if I have to feed a crowd. Thanks for your comment dear. :-)
An Indian girl’s kitchen is incomplete without cooker…I too have 3 different sizes of cooker…very handy when I am short of time…the potato curry looks delicious.
Raji´s last [type] ..Vanilla Cinnamon Toasts
Curry in under 10 minutes is amazing! I wouldn’t have thought it possible. Looks amazing though Sonia!! I might have to look into investing in a pressure cooker some time in the future.
Jennifer (Delicieux)´s last [type] ..Fun Friday- Polenta- Parmesan- Chive & Garlic Madeleine’s
My mom used a pressure cooker all the time when I was growing up, but I never do. I guess I just never think of it. Thanks for reminding me.
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen´s last [type] ..potatoes with crème fraîche sauce well dressed potatoes for a guest post
The tips about pressure cooker is really very helpful. And the potato curry looks gorgeous with lovely colors!
Sanjeeta kk´s last [type] ..A Few Healthy Salad Recipes in Your Platter to Chill out in Summer!
wow sonia the aloo looks so yellow and amazing… pressure cooker is the indian cook’s best friend no??? this is going to be weekend b’fast for me yippie for the inspiration :)
Rajani@eatwritethink´s last [type] ..House of Rice
Yummy looking potato curry
Sharmilee! :)´s last [type] ..Tomato Soup – Cream of tomato soup – Restaurant style