What is a Pressure Cooker?
A pressure cooker is a kitchenware or cooking device used to cook or prepare foods and meals fast by generating internal steam and releasing it as the pressure builds up.
It is fast and equipped with regulating mechanisms to ensure safety and reliability while cooking. Pressure cookers employ high-pressure cooking that is fast and retains most food nutrients
Electric Versus Non-Electric Pressure Cookers
Electric pressure cookers mainly timed or preset to cook modes that best suit the food ingredient types prepared. They have digital timers, pressure monitors, and
They come in a variety of generations that offer several smart and unique cooking features with each progress in the generational innovation.
Electric Pressure Cooker Features
1. Anti-blockage vent
2. Leaky lid protection
3. Automatic pressure control
4. High-temperature warning
5. Extreme temperature and power protection mechanism
6. Safety lock and lid indicator
7. Lid close detection / signal
8. Pressure regulator protection
9. Three-ply encapsulated base
10. Digital pressure and temperature monitors
11. Varied cook modes for different foods
Non-Electric Pressure Cooker Features
1. Pressure valve/regulator
2. Air vent
3. Interlocking lid/cover
4. Gasket seal/ring
5. Cooking chamber/pot
6. Vent pipe
7. Interlocking pin
8. Cooking rack
9. Pressure cooker body
10. Handle
Essential Characteristics of a Pressure Cooker and Functions
Electric and non-electric pressure are worlds apart, and all offer diverse functions, cook modes, temperature control mechanisms, and varied cooking chamber layout. There are several parts of pressure cookers that all work perfectly together to make them versatile and convenient kitchen wares in most modern homes and kitchens. These parts include, among others:
(a) Pressure Valve/Regulator
The pressure valve or regulator is on the top of the pressure cooker that helps to release steam pressure. It is also known as the pressure indicator, which maintains the optimum or maximum steam pressure required to prepare or cook the food. Pressure valves have a hissing sound that shows that absolute steam pressure on the inside has usually attained at 15 psi.
The pressure cooker valves or regulators come in two conventional types which include:
Floating Weight Pressure Valve: which keeps pressure in the cooker through the weight that ensures steam remains inside.
Spring Pressure Valve: this is a calibrated metal spiral with actual spring that resists steam push from inside the pressure cooker.
The pressure valve has a little basket which ensures food does not reach the pressure valve.
(b) Interlocking Lid or Cover
Interlocking lid or cover incorporates a reverse and forwards lock mechanism. IT ensures that steam pressure starts to build up inside the pressure cooker when the interlocking lid or cover is closed.
For electric pressure cookers, even when there is a power outage, the interlocking top remains locked. For non-electric pressure cookers, steam pressure inside pushes up the pressure valve pin.
(c) Gasket/Sealant Ring
Gasket Seal or Sealant Ring is an airtight rubber piece that is heat resistant at the highest degrees. Gasket seals or sealant rings are versatile as they form an airtight seal in the cooking chamber and expansion barrier between the interlocking lid/cover and the pressure cooker body.
(d) Overpressure Plug
Pressure cooker overpressure plugs are primary routes and channels to regulate the expanded cooking chamber steam pressure. They ensure an optimum level of steam pressure maintained at all times.
(e) Vent Pipe
Usually, this is the part on top of the interlocking lid/cover where the pressure valve cum regulator is attached. Its primary function is to let excess steam pressure out to retain optimum or maximum required internal pressure.
(f) Air Vent
This pressure cooker part sits on top of the interlocking lid or cover of the pressure cooker. It lets air from inside the pressure cooker and acts as a visual indicator that slides when pressure builds-up inside the pressure cooker cooking chamber or pan.
All these parts function to avail and accomplish specific tasks while cooking delicious and unique meals.
Why Are Pressure Cookers Versatile Modern Kitchenware?
Fast, Efficient and Time-Saving Kitchen Devices:
Pressure cookers significantly reduce and cut down on cooking time by more than 70%. It is essential as cooking time reduces regular food preparation routine on other ordinary cooking stoves.
Ordinary cooking pots tend to boil or steam away from the most pressing and vital natural tastes and nutrients. However, pressure cookers enhance a rich and natural food flavor that leaves pleasant after taste and retain food taste attributes and nutrients.
High Food Nutrition Retention and Preservation
Pressure cooked food offers a much better and more balanced nutritional food value content boost compared to food cooked for long periods with traditional kitchenware.
When food preparation for an extended period, usually some vital and essential food nutrients are lost through evaporation or destroyed or boiled away.
Pressure cookers use steam pressure and heat, which prevents excessive food value and mineral loss.
Hygienic, Safe and Reliable
Pressure cooked food gets ready at faster periods and requires less use of water. Most of the water evaporates through steam or is boiled away and leaves the food prepared with most nutrients intact.
With food ready in short cooking time, there is less likelihood of losing natural food colors and flavors.
The essential minerals and vitamins that usually evaporate while cooking in large quantities of water and for a more extended period are kept and retained in pressure cooked food.
Provide Significantly Higher Energy Savings
Pressure cookers are more efficient energy savers than multiple separate burners. It translates into significant energy savings in the long run as they are dependent on steam generated in the cooking pot chamber.
As most food types take less cooking time in pressure cookers, this means and translates into less energy waste or need while preparing delicious and nutritious meals in a short period.
Clean, Tidy and Neat Kitchen Chambers
Usually, regular stovetop cooking pots leave traces of cooking food residues and untidy looking food pieces that require extra cleaning and tidying up after every cooking session.
At times steam, oil, and other elements come out from the open cooking kitchenware. It often settles kitchen surfaces at various points.
It requires more clean-up effort and time after cooking or meal preparation. However, pressure cookers, on the other hand, with their airtight interlocking lids, prevent food spills, splashes, or spatters from escaping from inside the pressure cooker chamber.
It also limits and removes the possibility of boiling over food spills that need and take more cleaning and tidying up after cooking time elapses. It leaves a spic and spans a clean, hygienic kitchen after cooking time.
Vital in Preservation and Packaging of Food
Most modern pressure cookers designed and built (especially electric pressure cooker types) to preserve, package or store food for future edible usage.
That is why all advanced pressure cookers models are also called pressure canners as they can develop up to 15psi, which is the minimum required to store food safely over long periods.
It is the minimum high-pressure necessary to cook and package fragile meals like meat, fish, and other food types.
It can see here that besides essential cooking functions, modern pressure cookers are versatile and indispensable modern kitchens.
