How to choose a pressure cooker?

Choose a 6 to 8 quart stainless steel heavy bottom pressure cooker with a UL listing sticker.

The newer models are programmable. I will not include the programmable models here.

Usage

Pressure cookers are real time savers for Indian cooking, specially the whole beans such as Cholay (Garbanzo) , Rajma (Red kidney beans), Chicken or Lamb curry. Do not cook Dal in pressure cooker. The boil-over from Dal can clog the vent pipe.

The Material

The pressure cookers are made of either Aluminum or Stainless steel. The Aluminum pressure cookers are neither anodized nor coated with non-stick material. The Aluminum is reactive to acids in the food, which may discolor or even pit the pressure cooker. Also, it has been found that cooking in bare Aluminum may contribute to Alzheimer's disease. I don't recommend using Aluminum pressure cookers.

The stainless steel is not reactive to foods. It should have a heavy bottom, where a layer of aluminum is sandwiched in between the layers of the stainless steel. This will provide uniform heating. You can sauté the Masala and the Lamb before cooking under pressure without fear of damaging the pan. How to choose Stainless steel Flatware and cookware

The Size

Most common sizes are 4, 6, and 8 quarts. This is misleading. On average pan should be about half empty for the steam. I recommend a minimum of 6 quarts, preferably an eight quarts size.

Features

Pressure regulator

There are many types of pressure regulators. Some jiggle, constantly, others do not. I like the ones that jiggle. The constant noise keeps me aware that something is cooking. Both types work well.

Some of the regulators have built in quick pressure release option.

Some of the pressure cookers are fixed to maintain 15 pounds of pressure. Others, vary from 5 to 20 pounds. 15 pounds is well accepted standard .

Make sure the regulator is detachable/removable. This allows you ensure that the vent pipe is not clogged.

Handles

The pressure cooker should have two handles, the main handle and on the opposite side a helper handle. After the cooking time is up, you may want to pick up the pressure cooker and kill the pressure quickly by putting it under running water.

UL listing

Make sure the pressure cooker is UL listed. It ensures that the cover, the construction and design are safe.

Recommendation

6 to 8 quart stainless steel (18/10) pressure cooker with the heavy bottom construction (a layer of aluminum sandwiched in between layers of stainless steel) with a UL listing sticker.

Trivia

At sea level, water boils at 212º F. At air pressure of 15 pounds per square inch, the boiling point for water becomes 250º F, that is why the food cooks faster.

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