A pressure cooker is one of the most seen cookware in every mom’s kitchen. In fact, it is one of the nostalgic moments when the seal is already whistling and shaking like it’s about to erupt anytime. It may not be familiar for some youngsters, but pressure cookers have already been ramping since 1679. Its inventor was Denis Papin, a French physicist, and the original product’s name was Papin’s Digester.
Its function is basically to cook foods or meats until they become tender. In the pot, the water will create steam at the temperature of 266 °F (130 °C). Then after some minutes to hours, the food is ready to serve without losing its vital nutrients. But to look further on its helpful impacts, whether in food preparation or health, here are some of the benefits of pressure cooker that you can’t be missed. We also recommend you to buy anolon cookware if you are looking for high-quality nonstick cookware items.
Pressure Cooked Foods are Tastier
Foods that are boiled longer tend to decrease their important vitamins and minerals. But with the pressure cooker, foods are being cooked faster due to the extreme temperature in the sealed pot. With that, the nutrients are more likely intact, making the food tastier and pleasing due to the good state and remaining vibrance.
Budget-Friendly in Every Dishes
Since pressure cooker has it all, like you can’t say more to its capability, you can save a budget from the costly gas stove or electricity bill. Here, you can put it all together with the desired ingredients, unlike in the usual pots wherein it should be one at a time before completing the dish. The pressure cooker is indeed a loyal family partner through ups and downs.
Energy Saver After Meals
Every pressure cooker is not just budget-friendly but is an energy saver too. Undeniably, the aftermath of meal preparations in the kitchen is highly stressful, especially for busy moms. When there is stubborn gunk in the pot, it is indeed irritating and energy-consuming. But with the pressure cooker, since it is an all-in pot, the needed time to clean cookware is lessened. The mess is also less expected when using this product which is a high perk for everyone.
Ideal Meals for a Pressure Cooker
While being fascinated by its usefulness, the idea of meals to prepare should also be included in the considerations. Planning ahead what’s the next dish might be somehow problematic if you want to use alone the pressure cooker. It is because the ingredients that you will put in it should have the same cooking time so there will be no left raw. If the desired dish requires more work, you can still use other pots and pans while doing it all together. To give some idea of what meals can pressure cooker accommodate, here are the suggested doable ones.
| Dish | Ingredient |
| Steamed Quinoa | 1 cup quinoa
1 1/4 cup water or any broth |
| Buttered Chicken | 2 tablespoons ghee
1 large yellow onion, finely diced 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, halved and patted dry 1 cup canned tomato puree 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chile powder 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon garam masala 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 cup canned coconut cream 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 cup basmati rice 1 1/2 cups water 1 teaspoon kosher salt |
| Steamed Chicken Breast | 2 cups water
2 chicken breasts Salt Pepper |
| Creamy Chicken Pasta | 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter 2 cloves garlic cloves, chopped 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, cut in half 2 chicken breasts or thighs 1 can chicken stock 1 cup milk or heavy whipping cream 1 pound pasta 8 ounces cream cheese Grated parmesan cheese Basil Black pepper |
| Tuscan White Bean Soup | 1 cup diced celery
1 1/2 cups diced onion 2 cups chopped leek 2 cups diced carrot 1 1/2 cups diced zucchini 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced 4 garlic cloves, minced 3 (15-ounce) cans of cannellini beans 1 (28-ounce) can dice san Marzano tomatoes 4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning herb mix 1 pound Italian sausage 1 bunch lacinato kale 1/2 bunch fresh Italian parsley Lemon Salt Pepper |
Non-stick Pressure Cookers
Nowadays, the magical instant pot has advanced models too. Back to the old pressure cookers, you can’t check the food inside if it is already well done, you can’t adjust the seasonings, the sealing rings are high maintenance, not every dish is applicable, and it is extremely expensive. When today, the pressure cookers of the 21st century have already innovated and automatic.
To complete the amusement, here are the top 5 non-stick pressure cookers available in every department store.
Pressure Cookers are either made up of stainless steel or aluminum. But to know more, here are the basic parts of it:
- Pressure regulator. Its function is to maintain the needed pressure in order to cook the food. It is the whistling part, as an indicator or alarm if the food is nearly tender or cooked enough.
- Vent pipe. It is where the pressure regulator is situated, wherein the hot steam blows.
- Air vent. It serves as the cover lock of the pot and the indicator when the pressure is already building up. It glides upwards when the heat is already enough.
- Sealing ring. It is said that it’s the high maintenance part of the cooker. It seals the pot and the cover, and without it, the essence of the cooker will be gone. So, it must always be repaired for a better cooking experience.
- Cooking rack. It separates the ingredients from each other as well as the liquid from them. This is important to not mix the flavors of each.
- Cover handle. It is important for you when it is already time to remove the cooker’s cover. Basically, because the pot is extremely hot, but you can also use a potholder for more safeties.