Components of Pressure Cooker
- Cover that seals in flavor and nutrients for delicious meals.
- Steam regulator for safety.
- Pressure control valves to maintain pressure inside.
History of Pressure Cooker
The first version of a
pressure cooker was created in
1680 by Denis Papin. He made a large cast iron vessel with a lid that
locked. With the advent of cooker, cooking time was educed but
regulating steam and temperature was difficult and so explosions were
common.
Later it was patented in USA in 1902 with some advanced features. They
were huge industrial size pressure vessels. In 1905, it was called
canner retorts. Then pressure cooking meals were preferred over canned
goods. Light weight aluminum was used to make these pressure canners and
home canning was promoted.
In 1915 the term pressure cooker first appeared in print and National
Presto installed an aluminum foundry for the specific purpose of
manufacturing large size pressure canners.
In 1941, at the start of world war II smaller, cast aluminum cookers
enjoyed widespread popularity in most American homes. With the passage
of time the demand for pressure cookers was tremendous.
Pressure Cooker Material
- Aluminum Pressure Cooker : It is made of heavy
gage aluminum because of its durability and thermal conductivity.
- Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker : It is durable
and widely used in modern kitchens.
Types of Pressure Cooker
- Microwave Pressure Cooker : It consists of
lockable pressure cooker lid with ingenious steam pressure control
valve that allows heat to circulate like a convention oven for even,
tender cooking.
- Electric Pressure Cooker : It has an additional
steamer basket and a steam release button.
- Vintage Pressure Cooker : Vintage cookers are
passed down from generation to generation. It is made of cast metal.
It is subjected to tiny, microscopic cracks or thin spots which
weaken the container.
Working of Pressure Cooker
- Steam is produced by boiling of water.
- Pressure cooker is tightly sealed and traps this steam.
- Using this steam it causes pressure to increase inside the
cooker.
- Pressure regulator maintains specific pressure inside.
- The increased pressure inside increases the temperature.
- Increased temperature results in super heated steam that cooks
food quickly, evenly and nutritiously.
Advantages of Pressure Cooker
- Saves time by reducing cooking time to a great extent.
- Saves money through reduced energy consumption.
- Seals in the nutrients of the food.
- Vegetables retain their natural color and flavor.
- There is tremendous versatility in preparing food.
- They are safe to use because of the presence of multiple safety
valves.
- Steam pressure breaks down the fibers in the food in a very short
time, so foods are moist and succulent and retain their flavor.
