Topic started by Kamakshi (@ 213.42.2.25) on Sat Mar 20 15:04:54 EST 2004.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Which is the best brand of Pressure cooker - Prestige/premier/butterfly/Hawkins/Anantha etc.?
Other than rice, what are the other dishes that can be cooked in a pressure pan?

Responses:

• From: Shanthy (@ ip-81-73.dot.net.au) on: Sat Mar 20 17:37:12 EST 2004
  
  Hi Kamakshi
  I have been unsing prestige pressure cooker and pan for the last 15years. I am happy with it.
  
  Things I cook;
  chick peas-3 whistles let cool and make curry or add fried onion, curry leaves, salt etc.
  
  Thoor dhal (thuvaram parrupu)or any other dhals.
  
  To make soups. Add all the ingredients and cook.
  
  Any vegetable which takes long in the normal cooker such as potatoes, Casava(maravalli kilangu)
  
  Vegetables used in mashed form-egg plant (brinjal)etc.
  
  Sago payasam- roast 1 cup sago(javvarisi)in little ghee.
  add 3 cups water stir well and cook for 3 whistles let cool.
  add 11/2 cups sugar and 2 cups milk and vanila.
  Stir well and enjoy.
  
  Normally I leave for 3 whisltes and let cool by itself. It is very useful for the busy mums. Pressure pan is for small quantities.
  
  
• From: KH (@ ip68-111-50-101.br.no.cox.net) on: Sun Mar 21 01:25:20 EST 2004
  
  Hi Shanthy,
  Can i use pressure pan to cook rice? What is the ratio of water and rice i have to take for boiled rice(pulungal arisi). I tried making briyani in the pressure pan, but it gets burned at the bottom. What must be the reason? Any suggestion?
  
  
• From: Shanthy (@ ip-80-245.dot.net.au) on: Sun Mar 21 17:51:05 EST 2004
  
  Hi KH
  
  Sorry I never cooked rice in the pressure cooker. Some of the friends in the hub seems to be using the pressure cooker to cook rice. Hope someone will help.
  I normally cook rice either in the microwave or in the rice cooker. For both rice:water ratio is 1:2. For microwave add hot water to washed rice in a larger container and let it cook on high for 15 minuters without cover. Use a fork to fluff the rice afterwards and cover and leave for 10 minutes. Rice continues to cook at this time.
  
  For parboiled rice I use 3 parts of water to 1 part of rice.
  
  Next time when making briyani use a little more water and turn off the cooker with 3 or 4 whistles and let it cool by itself. I always make the briyani curry base in the normal wok and finally mix cooked rice for briyani. It is foolproof.
  
  
• From: KH (@ ip68-111-50-101.br.no.cox.net) on: Mon Mar 22 22:49:48 EST 2004
  
  Hello Shanthy,
  Thanks a lot for your kind response. May be i will ask Mrs.Mano and other friends about pressure pan. I always wanted to try the method of making briyani as you have mentioned, but i was afraid it would not be tastey as regular ones. Hope you have recipe for chicken briyani, i mean exact ingredients and method? If so,pls do post it.
  
  
• From: Shanthy (@ ip-81-206.dot.net.au) on: Wed Mar 24 18:29:20 EST 2004
  
  Hello KH
  
  Here is the recipe I use for chicken briyani. Its worth going through all the trouble to make it. I promise.
  
  Ingredients
  1.2 Kg chicken pieces (thigh or legs)
  5 tb sp ghee or oil
  2 large onions chopped
  4 garlic cloves chopped
  1 small piece ginger finely chopped
  2 tb sp of each almonds, cashews, sultanas
  4 small potatoes quarted
  1/2 tsp chilli powder
  1/2 tsp of each turmeric, cummin, pepper powders
  1 tsp salt
  3 tb sp tomato paste or 2 chopped tomatoes
  2 tb sp yogurt
  6 cardomom (ealakai)
  1 piece cinnamon (karuva)
  
  2 cups (about500gr) basmati rice
  3 cups warm water
  2 tb sp butter or ghee
  1 tsp salt
  
  Heat 2 tb sp ghee in the rice cooker and add washed rice, stir for a minute then add water and salt let it cook.
  Once cooked fluff the rice to separate the grains. Rice shouldn't be mushy.
  
  To make the curry
  Heat 3 tb sp ghee in a wok or in a large pot on medium heat and add the nuts and sultanas fry for a minute and drain.
  Add the potatoes and fry until golden then drain. keep it a side.
  Heat the rest of the ghee in the wok and add cadamom and cinnamon then add the onion, garlic and ginger. fry until golden.
  Add the spice powders fry for a minute then add tomato paste, yogurt fry for a minute and then chicken and salt.
  mix all the ingredients well to coat the chicken. Cover and cook on medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in between and more water if needed.
  Once the chicken is cooked taste it and add salt if needed.
  At this point if there is too much gravy, take it out in a bowl for future use. The curry should have enough gravy to coat the rice. You can add more gravy later if needed.
  Add the fried potatoes, nuts and sultanas mix well.
  Now add the cooked rice little by little and mix it gently through the curry. Its good to serve with raita(cucumber and yogurt). Enjoy.
  You can adjust the chilli and spices to suit your taste.
  
  
• From: KH (@ ip68-111-50-101.br.no.cox.net) on: Thu Mar 25 11:57:56 EST 2004
  
  Hello Shanthy,
  Thanks a lot for your recipe. I'll try out soon and let you the result.
  
  
• From: Andal Balu (@ user-11fa7k9.dsl.mindspring.com) on: Wed Mar 31 16:39:08 EST 2004
  
  you can also use the pressure cooker to cook all the beans for different "sundal"s.
  You can make rasagolla using the pressure cooker.
  You can use the vessel without the lid as stock pot. I also cook sambar or rasam in large quantities for the parties in the pressure cooker.
  Other dish you can make is venpongal.
  some people use it to make paruppu usili.
  Pressure pan can be used for curries (without the lid).
  You can steam anything in the pressure cooker including the idlies. When you cook idlies do not put the weight on the lid.
  You can buy Stainless steel Prestige pressure cookers and pressure pans or Hawkins Futura pressure cookers at http://innoconcepts.com/cookers.htm
  
  
• From: Tina (@ cache-rtc-aa09.proxy.aol.com) on: Tue Nov 9 13:19:14
  
  Hi Shanty,
  I want to try your chicken biryani recipe, but would you clarify if the potatoes are boiled before being fried?
  Tina
  
  

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