Today, pressure cookers have become an indispensable appliance in the kitchen. It offers unmatched convenience and efficiency and can save up to 70% of cooking time. It also helps preserve the nutrient value of food, which is often lost in traditional open-vessel cooking.
Pressure cookers are made to use steam and heat uniformly for quick and even cooking. Today, modern stainless steel and induction-based cookers are energy-friendly. So, whether it is a healthy meal for your family or quick fixes for busy weekdays, pressure cookers come as the ultimate time-saving solution.
In this guide, we’ll look at the top time-saving dishes to cook in a pressure cooker. The objective is to make your meals become tasty, healthy, and done in no time.
Why Pressure Cookers are a Kitchen Must-Have?
Pressure cookers elevate your entire culinary experience. Their superior heat transfer saves your money on fuels, preventing messy spills and making sure the original flavors stay in your food. Most of the top-brand pressure cookers come in a food-grade SS304 stainless steel material. These are long-lasting, safe, and reliable, which rightfully deserve a place in any kitchen.
The advantages of a pressure cooker are beyond the obvious ones:
- Preserves nutrients and flavor
- Enables quick cooking
- Reduces harmful bacteria
- Facilitates mess-free cooking
- Energy and cost-efficient solution
10 Time-Saving Dishes to Cook In A Pressure Cooker
Here are the best 10 time-saving recipes that can be quickly prepared using a pressure cooker:
1. Rice
The preparation time of rice in a pressure cooker is extremely fast and effortless. Take one cup of rice and rinse it thoroughly, soak it in water for almost 30 minutes. Then put it along with salt, and 1.5 cups of water in the cooker. Allow it to cook for 2 whistles. Serve the rice with curry, dal, or vegetables.
2. Dal Tadka or Lentil Curry
Cook a cup of dal, either toor dal or moong dal, with 3 cups of water, turmeric, and a pinch of salt in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles. Prepare the tadka of ghee, garlic, and red chilies and add it to the cooked dal. You save about 20-25 minutes, which would otherwise take 45 minutes.
3. Vegetable Pulao
Prepare this dish with chopped vegetables such as carrots, peas, and beans. Mix them with rice, whole spices, and water cooked in a pressure cooker. The dish cooks for 2 whistles. The fiber and vitamins in vegetables are preserved because of the pressure cooker’s steam-based cooking process.
4. Chicken Curry
The chicken becomes tender and juicy when cooked in a pressure cooker. It also mitigates the cooking time. Marinate chicken with spices, yogurt, and onions. Cook with tomatoes and water for 3 whistles. The pressure cooker preserves the flavor as it cooks the chicken in steam.
5. Rajma or Kidney Bean Curry
Pressure-cooking soaked kidney beans saves hours of preparation time. Sauté the onions, tomatoes, and spices, then mix in the soaked rajma to cook for 4 whistles. You save almost half the time compared to slow stovetop simmering.
6. Boiled Eggs
Put the eggs into the cooker with a small amount of water. Boil for 1-2 whistles. Open the lid and let the eggs run under cold running water. It is guaranteed to give boiled eggs perfectly within 10 minutes. A pressure cooker ensures consistency and easy removal of shells.
7. Khichdi
Boil moong dal with turmeric, salt, and veggies, and cook rice with the mixture in a pressure cooker. Serve it hot after 2 whistles. It is nutrient-rich, and one can easily digest it.
8. Mutton Stew
The mutton is made tender in less time if pressure cooked. Add the mutton pieces, chopped vegetables, whole spices, and broth to a cooker. Cook for 5-6 whistles to prepare a tasty stew. A pressure cooker can save almost half of the cooking time.
9. Sambar
This South Indian classic is best cooked using a pressure cooker. Use toor dal with tamarind, veggies, and sambar spice to 3 whistles so the flavors are retained but dal and vegetables are done. The pressure cooking retains vital vitamins from the vegetables.
10. Chole or Chickpea Curry
Soak chickpeas overnight, add it along with onions, tomatoes, and spices, cook for 4 whistles, garnish with coriander, and serve it either with bhature or rice. A pressure cooker saves tremendous time compared to chickpeas being slow-cooked in the preparation of this recipe.
Conclusion
A pressure cooker is a modern kitchen hero because it transforms laborious meal preparations into fast and effortless meals. Modern, stainless steel, and induction-based pressure cookers ensure energy efficiency and durability and make them long-lasting assets for every home.
With a pressure cooker, you will save much time, burn less fuel, and prepare nutritious, yummy dishes for your family without much hassle. From busy professionals to homemakers, and even passionate cooks, these top 10 dishes that will save you so much time are sure to bring you much joy in your kitchen.