As a child I remember my mother cooking artichokes in a pressure cooker, oh and maybe corned beef, but that was about it as far as my knowledge of pressure cookers. Fast forward to today.....I am a busy mother who often cooks for a crowd, and I often ask other women for cooking tips as there are so many ways that one can make healthful meals for one's family without stressing out!
Introducing dear readers, the pressure cooker! A very wise woman by the name of Rebettzin Yehudit Tzivia Kenig, of blessed memory, always gave young brides the gift of a pressure cooker so that as she liked to say "the pressure will stay in the pot!" Because as you may well know, sometimes the pressure of preparing a homecooked meal that needs to be ready for the family at a certain time can be a bit stressful at the end of, or in the middle of a busy day!
Pressure cookers quite simply allow one to cook things at a fraction of the time. My family loves beets, which I serve hot out of the pot, or slice to make Moroccan beet salad. Gone are the days of waiting for hours for the beets to cook in a regular pot, they're now ready in about 40 minute once the pot reaches full pressure. Just be sure to cook the beets whole so as not to loose all of their juices into the water....did that once and almost gave up on the idea, thankfully tried it again with whole beets and with great success!
This week I also tried cooking brown rice in the pressure cooker with great success, and I regularly cook many kinds of beans as well. There are many charts online that will tell you how long each food type needs to be cooked, so I'll let the experts provide the details.
Pressure cookers come in a variety of sizes, depending on your needs, and do invest in a quality stainless steel pot, you won't regret it!