Pressure Cooker is an inevitable household article. Even abroad many Indians, although use the Microwave Oven for other cooking, they mostly make use of the Pressure cooker for cooking rice.
In fact my MS friends would laugh at me if I reveal the fact that I didn?t even know to pressure cook rice until about 4 years ago. Once when my mother had terribly fallen ill, I felt almost like a ?lost-kitten? when I was left alone with my dad (of course he also didn?t know to cook) when the fact strike me that I had to do the day-to-day cooking alone at home thereafter until my mother was back in full shape.
They left-alone first day, finally my dad and I came to a decision that I shall only cook rice and we could have some sandwiches and curd-rice with pickles. Thinking that I would know to do it, my dad left me alone at home and went to his office. There were 2 pressure cookers at home. I chose one, coolly kept rice in it and while doing some other work, was waiting for the sound of whistle for almost half-an-hour, when I heard the loud sound of some blasting????.FUT??. FUTTA?FUTTA????!!!!! By the sound, my neighbours had already started coming running to my flat. I was shocked by the deafening blasting sound and when I ran into the kitchen the pressure cooker was in the same way without any noticeable change from outside. Anyway, after switching off the gas, I opened the cooker after the next half-an-hour to find the most stupid thing I had done ? not poured water underneath the rice vessel.
Now that I had been using pressure cookers for more than 4 years, I am quite comfortable with its usage. Cooking under pressure may seem scary because of the horror stories of earlier generations, but these days it’s pretty safe.
I think the best and very reliable brands that are very popular at present are :
? Hawkins
? Prestige (TTK Prestige Ltd.)
? Premier
? Akshaya
It is always highly advisable to go in only for branded pressure cookers due to the points of reliability and longevity. I have been using only Prestige pressure cookers and I feel that they are very reliable and from the cost aspect too, are very competitive. It has got safe designs and are widely available in different capacities. Prestige cookers come with Aluminium and Stainless Steel bodies (with or without copper bottom). The following are some of the useful models of Prestige pressure cookers available in different capacities which are being extensively sold :
? 2 Litres
? 3 Litres
? 5 Litres
? 7.5 Litres
? 12 Litres
Pressure cookers in above capacity are obtainable in Stainless Steel, Hard anodized, Aluminium etc. These days the charm is mostly for the Stainless pressure cookers with copper bottom which are very easy to wash out even the toughest grimes and due to their quick-cooking capability.
Prestige Pressure Cooker are marketed under the brand name of Manttra outside India. Manttra pressure cookers are extensively purchased by the NRIs. Stainless Steel, High Quality, SteelClad Bottomed. Cookbooks are included in almost all the models. These cookers are made from mirror finish, stainless steel. The outer fitting lid provides maximum cooking space Streamlined, problem-free handles with flame guard. A unique 3-ply clad base (Aluminum sandwiched between 2 layers of Stainless Steel) allows for even heating. All these details are available in the pamphlet which comes with the new cooker pack.
But whatever brand it might be, pressure cookers are user-friendly only until they are used with great care and with safety precautions.
?The major or the key concerns in pressure cooking are the gasket seal and the vent tube. It is always very important that both these are always kept in good condition for a safety cooking.
?For longevity and proper fitting of the Gasket in the inner lid of the cooker, it is advisable to keep the Gasket in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator.
?The vent tube means the small tube in the center of the cooker lid which vents out the steam. If the vent tube gets clogged, that would be the beginning of problems with pressure cooking. Either you would not get the whistle sound or the rice would not get cooked evenly. If you hold the lid upto the light and look through the vent tube, if it is clear, then the vent tube is in a good condition. Otherwise ensure that all the dust is cleared out completely.
Apart from the above, for the users, I advise that the following may kindly be strictly adhered to :
?Please read the manual that comes with your pressure cooker before you start using it
?Always follow the safety instructions carefully
?Always keep the pressure cooker very clean and especially the lid should be free from any blockage
?Place the Gasket properly to fit into the inner circular lid of the cooker
?Do not forget to pour water beneath the rice vessel
?Do not open the pressure cooker until all the pressure inside the cooker is completely released
Follow these instructions and enjoy a happy pressure-cooking. From the topic point of view, I 100% recommend Prestige Pressure Cookers which are very reliable & long-lasting and are priced very competitively.
Hope this review had been of little help to my dearest MSians. Do provide me with your valuable feedbacks and ratings.