Pressure cooker for healthy meal!

 
17-Dec-2007 by foodguru

Pressure Cookers for Healthy, Flavoursome Meals

 

By Elizabeth Webb

 

In today’s household there’s often not much time for cooking meals from scratch. Nevertheless if you still like healthy aromatic meals, here’s where the pressure cooker can help.

Believe it or not, but pressure cookers really can reduce cooking times by up to 70% compared to conventional methods and the amount of energy consumed is also reduced to as much as 50%.

Using a pressure cooker is one of the best ways to cook delicious meals while still retaining important vitamins and minerals that would normally escape during traditional cooking methods. Meals are healthier and can be cooked without added oil and salt and still retain their natural colour and flavours. Another added bonus is that you can reduce your food costs even further by using a cheaper cut of roast, as cooking it under pressure means the meat comes out tender every time

Pressure cookers have been around for what seems like ages, but in the last few years there have been considerable changes to make them far safer and more versatile. Pressure cookers are usually made of aluminium or stainless steel. Stainless steel is by far considered the preferred choice as it is of a higher quality and achieves better cooking results and there are fewer problems with food sticking to the bottom. The stainless steel models are regarded as the best choice among many cooks because of their ability to brown or sauté food before cooking it under pressure.

The benefits of owning and using a pressure cooker:


• Saves you time – cooks healthy and tender meals in 70% less time.

• Flavoursome meals – tender meats, delicate fish and chicken are cooked to perfection in minutes as the steam intensifies the flavours.

• Less mess – it sautés and browns and pressure cooks all in one pot.

• Ideal for two or for large family cooking – pressure cookers come in a range of sizes to suit your needs, just remember that a pressure cooker needs to be 2/3 full to operate properly.

• Safe to use – there are plenty of safety features and indicators on new pressure cookers, so you can prepare all the ingredients and do something else whilst it cooks.

Here’s an idea of how much time a pressure cooker can save you on cooking times and still achieve tasty and tender meals:

Lamb Stew - 20 to 25 minutes
Vegetable Soup - 5 to 10 minutes
Leg of Pork - 20 to 25 minutes
Leg of Beef – 35 to 45 minutes
Whole Fish – 3 to 4 minutes
Potatoes – 6 to 8 minutes
Please note that cooking times may vary slightly depending on your make and model of pressure cooker.


About the author:
http://www.tablepride.co.nz/

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

  

Comments

Snigdha says :

Some Benefits of using a Pressure Cooker and also precautions while using one:- Benefits *It saves time. *It saves energy. *You don't have to stir the meal and can use the time to prepare the salad, do the laundry etc. *If you do everything according to the instructions, the meal doesn't burn. *No food smells spread through kitchen and flat, and the kitchen doesn't get steamy. Precautions *Read and follow the instructions in the manual carefully! *Ensure that the correct amount of some sort of liquid (as indicated in the recipe) is in the pot. *Make sure that the brim of the pot and the lid are clean and that the rubber ring is correctly fitted to the lid. *Close and fasten the lid and heat it on the highest setting. *Turn the heat down shortly after the first ring on the safety device shows. *Activate some sort of timer to let yourself know when the food is cooked. *Switch the hot plate off and either put the pot on a cold surface to release the pressure, let cold water run over the lid (not recommended for liquid foods and/or enamelled pots) or take a wooden spoon at the 'wrong' end and press on the ring-marked spring with the end of the handle. *Never try to open the lid while the pot is still under pressure! *Make sure your hands, body or face are nowhere near the steam release, or you risk scalding yourself badly. *Once all pressure is released, open the lid. *Enjoy. What Else do I Have to Consider? Don't be afraid that the pressure cooker might explode; it is highly unlikely, especially if you take care to turn the heat down at the indicated pressure. Make sure that you clean the valve and the rubber ring thoroughly after every use. The rubber ring will be the first thing you'll have to change — a clear indication is if the pot releases steam and doesn't reach the expected pressure. Either write down the model and diameter of the rubber ring or take the old ring to the shop to ensure that you don't buy the wrong model and/or size. The same goes for the valve in the rare event it has to be changed. Don't let the noise of the released steam startle you; after all, it's still less noisy than the whistle of your kettle. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A15826179
Posted on: 17 December 2007 - 5:14pm

Sarah says :

Snigdha you are right and foodguru you are really good post keep it up.... Foodlover Sarah
Posted on: 10 January 2008 - 10:23am

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