Putting my pressure cookers away

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Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby StarchHEFP » Sun Dec 04, 2016 8:07 pm

Today I prepared yellow Daal the slow way - let it boil in a tight fitting thick pot, then lowered to simmer, cooked for 1-1/2 hours, then turned off, let it sit for another 1/2 hour. It was so tasty. Whenever I used to pressure cook in my good quality Fagor, it cooked up very quickly, but somehow did not taste the same. Always it was better the next day only. But this time, I enjoyed the semi-slow cooked daal very well.

Just sayin'. Pressure cooking may not be the way to go if you have the patience and time. Do a taste test yourself; make up a batch of your favorite legume/lentil the fast way and the slow way, and compare the flavor.
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby colonyofcells » Sun Dec 04, 2016 8:14 pm

I have not found any need for a pressure cooker. I just soak grains and beans overnight and they cook fast in the morning (about 30 minutes or less and I can take a bath while the food is simmering). Lentils cook fast even if not soaked overnight but I usually soak them overnight too.
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby Timaca » Sun Dec 04, 2016 8:19 pm

Oh, I love my Instant Pot pressure cooker! I love it for cooking sweet potatoes, rice and beans. I do cook (soaked) lentils on the stove however, as they cook quickly.

Glad you found a way of cooking that you like! Whatever works is what you should do! :)
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby smudgemom » Sun Dec 04, 2016 8:48 pm

I've let 1 pot cook dry while on the stove.
Not going to be a 2nd time.

For me, an electric pressure cooker is a nice safety feature.

Worse case, it'll go into warming mode with natural release.
Might be super mushy & have to toss, but at least the house won't be burnt down to the ground. :lol:
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby StarchHEFP » Sun Dec 04, 2016 10:40 pm

smudgemom wrote:I've let 1 pot cook dry while on the stove.
Not going to be a 2nd time.

For me, an electric pressure cooker is a nice safety feature.

Worse case, it'll go into warming mode with natural release.
Might be super mushy & have to toss, but at least the house won't be burnt down to the ground. :lol:


I got a solution just for the above situation! I wish I had one of these:

http://www.costco.com/.product.100319914.html

Induction burner shuts off on a timer. You just have to have a cooking pot that's magnetic.

I'm sure the Instant Pot has some non-pressure modes too probably if needed.
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby katgirl55 » Sun Dec 04, 2016 11:29 pm

I have recently used my instant pot as a slow cooker with great results. Today I made rice with it. It has been a while since I used it as a pressure cooker. What I like about it is the versatility and that I can leave it without supervision. I would never leave a stove burner on and go upstairs the way I can with the IP.
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby MINNIE » Mon Dec 05, 2016 7:43 am

I use my Instant Pot's slow cooker setting for some things where I want a certain flavor development. This tastes (to me) as good or better than the stove top versions.

But, different pots for different folks :D .
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby f1jim » Mon Dec 05, 2016 10:04 am

I too, have noticed some differences in cooking with my Fagor multi cooker. It's a pressure cooker and I use it to make brown rice. As opposed to my old rice cooker the rice tastes similar but as it's stored in my fridge it gets much more "rock" like and I have to break apart a quantity I want to heat up. It's some kind of moisture difference causing this condition.
It's still worth it for the speedup in cooking brown rice. My old rice cooker took 2 hours to make 7 cups. Now it's 20 minutes.
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby patty » Mon Dec 05, 2016 11:12 am

StarchHEFP wrote:Today I prepared yellow Daal the slow way - let it boil in a tight fitting thick pot, then lowered to simmer, cooked for 1-1/2 hours, then turned off, let it sit for another 1/2 hour. It was so tasty. Whenever I used to pressure cook in my good quality Fagor, it cooked up very quickly, but somehow did not taste the same. Always it was better the next day only. But this time, I enjoyed the semi-slow cooked daal very well.

Just sayin'. Pressure cooking may not be the way to go if you have the patience and time. Do a taste test yourself; make up a batch of your favorite legume/lentil the fast way and the slow way, and compare the flavor.


Please share your recipe:) I found our local India store, has great parking, so it is easy for me to pick up any of the ingredients. I would like to try to cook both ways... as i also have a induction plate/cookware. I got it because of the timer. It automatically goes off after a hour. I took out my stove because I noticed in the aging process the stoves are usually turned off for safety. Pressure cooking beans is so easy, as most chilis and soups. Jeff Novick shares there are advantages of cooking oatmeal and rice ... something to do with the water.

Aloha, patty
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby dinska » Mon Dec 05, 2016 12:17 pm

Not to be rude but yellow split peas are the quickest cooking and the most no fuss out of all the pulses. :-P

I don't have a pressure cooker but I'm not directing people either.
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby Vegankit » Mon Dec 05, 2016 1:19 pm

That's why I bought the InstantPot and not something like an appliance that was only a pressure cooker. I have much more flexibility. I've used it as a steamer and a slow cooker as well as pressure cooker - and since I never owned those other appliances - well now I do in this one gadget.

But I completely understand what you're saying - because texture and taste is very important to me - probably more so than the average person so little details about how things are cooked definitely affect the outcome with some dishes.
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby StarchHEFP » Tue Dec 06, 2016 12:18 pm

patty wrote:
StarchHEFP wrote:Today I prepared yellow Daal the slow way - let it boil in a tight fitting thick pot, then lowered to simmer, cooked for 1-1/2 hours, then turned off, let it sit for another 1/2 hour. It was so tasty. Whenever I used to pressure cook in my good quality Fagor, it cooked up very quickly, but somehow did not taste the same. Always it was better the next day only. But this time, I enjoyed the semi-slow cooked daal very well.

Just sayin'. Pressure cooking may not be the way to go if you have the patience and time. Do a taste test yourself; make up a batch of your favorite legume/lentil the fast way and the slow way, and compare the flavor.


Please share your recipe:) I found our local India store, has great parking, so it is easy for me to pick up any of the ingredients. I would like to try to cook both ways... as i also have a induction plate/cookware. I got it because of the timer. It automatically goes off after a hour. I took out my stove because I noticed in the aging process the stoves are usually turned off for safety. Pressure cooking beans is so easy, as most chilis and soups. Jeff Novick shares there are advantages of cooking oatmeal and rice ... something to do with the water.

Aloha, patty


Thanks! Wash and rinse the "Toor daal" or pigeon peas, about 1-2 cups, 2-3 times. Look out for small stones that sometimes make their way. In a pot, dry roast cumin until it has a nice aroma and browned, then dry roast turmeric, paprika, coriander powder (don't really measure but about 1/2 or 1/4 tsp each is OK). Then add the rinsed daal, and add to that about 3 times the amount of water. Bring to a boil covered and when lid starts bubbling, reduce heat to simmer for about 1 hour or 1-1/2 depending how pulverized you like it. Add fresh and chopped spinach (about 2-3 cups) for the last about 15 minutes of cooking. Garnish with lemon juice, cilantro sprigs, shredded ginger (if desired). Enjoy with brown rice.
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby Jack Monzon » Tue Dec 06, 2016 1:28 pm

Pressure cookers are a sham.
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby f1jim » Tue Dec 06, 2016 3:20 pm

In what way, Jack?
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Re: Putting my pressure cookers away

Postby patty » Wed Dec 07, 2016 7:08 am

StarchHEFP wrote:
patty wrote:
Thanks! Wash and rinse the "Toor daal" or pigeon peas, about 1-2 cups, 2-3 times. Look out for small stones that sometimes make their way. In a pot, dry roast cumin until it has a nice aroma and browned, then dry roast turmeric, paprika, coriander powder (don't really measure but about 1/2 or 1/4 tsp each is OK). Then add the rinsed daal, and add to that about 3 times the amount of water. Bring to a boil covered and when lid starts bubbling, reduce heat to simmer for about 1 hour or 1-1/2 depending how pulverized you like it. Add fresh and chopped spinach (about 2-3 cups) for the last about 15 minutes of cooking. Garnish with lemon juice, cilantro sprigs, shredded ginger (if desired). Enjoy with brown rice.


Sounds great. I still developing the skill of dry roasting the seeds, the aroma sounds like the key. I will give it a try.

Aloha, patty
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