Everyone has a pressure cooker at home. It is a vessel that is widely used for cooking since it is convenient and also helps save time. While it might be good for cooking certain foods, it is recommended that you don’t cook every and all foods in a pressure cooker.
If you do so, the nutritional value of the food is lost. Also, in some cases, it might lead to the formation of some not-so-healthy compounds. Therefore, it’s important that you keep a check on the foods that you cook in a pressure cooker. Here’s a list of foods that you shouldn’t cook in a pressure cooker.
Vegetables that should not be cooked in a pressure cooker
Tender vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, zucchini or broccoli cook in just a few minutes on the stovetop. In a pressure cooker, they lose colour, texture and nutrients quickly because of the high heat and steam.
Why pasta and noodles go wrong in a pressure cooker
Foods like pasta, noodles or macaroni absorb water very quickly. In a pressure cooker, it’s hard to judge the exact water-to-pasta ratio, which can lead to clumping, sticking or mushiness.
Seafood and fish: better alternatives to pressure cooking
Delicate fish such as pomfret, salmon or prawns require just a few minutes of gentle cooking. The high pressure inside a cooker can easily overcook them, making the flesh rubbery and dry. Seafood tastes best when cooked with controlled heat, like steaming, grilling or pan-searing.
Dairy-based dishes that spoil under pressure
Milk-, cream- or cheese-based recipes like kheer, custard or paneer curries shouldn’t be cooked under pressure. Dairy tends to curdle, separate or form lumps due to the high temperature and pressure. Cooking these on low heat gives smooth textures and prevents spoilage.
Baked goods and cakes: why they fail in a cooker
A pressure cooker cannot be similar to that of dry heat like an oven. Steam-filled cooking makes cakes dense instead of fluffy, and cookies or bread lose the crust. While some people try cake experiments in a cooker, the texture is never really as airy as oven-baked ones.
ALSO READ: Mango season is ending! Try these easy recipes to enjoy the fruit all year long
