Pressure Cookers

[tutsiwarrior]

I'm on my way home for 2 weeks and I'm looking to buy a pressure cooker here in Saudi to take with me. The apparatus will be used primarily to cook dried beans/pulses (the canned variety nowhere to be found in Suphanburi) as I haven't been able to cook them any other way without them remaining crunchy. Temperature at saturation pressure should increase accordingly so if I pressurise the mothers maybe I can get something suitable for my beloved bean salads, chili and, in the case of chick peas/garbanzos, hoummos.

My mom useta cook pot roast in a pressure cooker I remember when I was a kid. Any suggestions as in the thread description line?...websites?

[LtLOS]

Do a google on Fagor classic pressure cooker: here's one site for a picture:

http://www.burgees.com/Cooker/Why.htm

I've got two, they are the best out there, but you will pay, as they are not cheap, a professional type piece of equipment.

I cook kidney beans in about 12 minutes with mine. Make sure you soak overnight, then rinse them, place beans cooker cover with water half again as high as beans, add about a teaspoon of oil, bring to a boil, once boiling seal the top and when its at pressure (starts to hiss) time for 12 minutes, release, and you've got beans. If you cannot afford a Fagor classic, any other Fagor will do, but they are home type and have all the idiot proof release features that I don't like, as they slow down your de pressure time. BTW, the Fagor classic is the only one that you can use for pressure frying, which is what I use mine for most frequently.

[tutsiwarrior]

Do a google on Fagor classic pressure cooker: here's one site for a picture:

http://www.burgees.com/Cooker/Why.htm

I've got two, they are the best out there, but you will pay, as they are not cheap, a professional type piece of equipment.

I cook kidney beans in about 12 minutes with mine. Make sure you soak overnight, then rinse them, place beans cooker cover with water half again as high as beans, add about a teaspoon of oil, bring to a boil, once boiling seal the top and when its at pressure (starts to hiss) time for 12 minutes, release, and you've got beans. If you cannot afford a Fagor classic, any other Fagor will do, but they are home type and have all the idiot proof release features that I don't like, as they slow down your de pressure time. BTW, the Fagor classic is the only one that you can use for pressure frying, which is what I use mine for most frequently.

12 mins for properly cooked kidney beans?...after 3 hours stove top after an over night soak mine would still be crunchy. Down at the Danube hypermarket in Jeddah they got a range of cookers, different sizes, etc...arabs and south asians eat a lot of pulses...can't wait to get home and try it out...

anyone else got any recipies, suggestions?

[Jet Gorgon]

Sigh. Tutsi gives up the perfectly good rice cooker.

[jcgodber]

tutsiwarrior---

You could also buy a very good pressure cooker right here in Thailand made by the Zebra stainless company. I am quite sure that they could even EMS it to your home.

http://www.zebra-head.com/catalog/P19.pdf

Jim

[tutsiwarrior]

Sigh. Tutsi gives up the perfectly good rice cooker.

miz jet...with de rice cooker it still took hours to cook beans and you haveta keep topping up the water due to the evaporation. I'll still do the rice cooker for stews and such but I will also experiment wid de pressure cooker in this regard...

tutsi is all high tech ovah heah... ...anybody got a beef stew pressure cooker recipie?...

[tutsiwarrior]

tutsiwarrior---

You could also buy a very good pressure cooker right here in Thailand made by the Zebra stainless company. I am quite sure that they could even EMS it to your home.

http://www.zebra-head.com/catalog/P19.pdf

Jim

that Zebra cooker looks good...I got a selection of Zebra cookware at home; never seen any Zebra pressure cookers at tescos. I got my eye on a unit here in Jeddah...it gots a lot of vents and whistles and would be good to entertain the kids when I go to do the first pot of beans back in Suphan...

[leisurely]

Beef stew, same as doing it any other way but much much much quicker. Take your piece of meat and put it in the PC, add some onions, garlic whatever else you want lob the lid on and bring it up to pressure, cook for between 7-15 minutes depending on the toughness of your meat. I would caution you not to put carrots in at this point, they taste like the canned ones. You can cook potatoes at the same time depending on your liking for mushy mealy things.

[LtLOS]

A fagor standard is top of the line, and perhaps not one you wish to pay that much for, but they are available in Thailand, that's where I purchased mine. Fagor, and others make more economical models, and will work ok, but not give you the solid construction and thick laminated base that mine have.

If your short on time when cooking a pressure cooker can be a real asset.

Take a small wire rack that gives you about an inch of water below it. In the water add:bay leaves, and a garlic clove or two, and a quarter onion or some whole challots, a few pepper corns. On the rack place a whole chicken, sprinkle with salt pepper and perhaps some herbs. Bring it up to pressure, and in about 15-20 minutes you will have a very tender steamed chicken with a nice stock below it.

Now take out the rack and with a fold out colander add back above the boiling stock, on the bottom first, a whole diced carrot, a diced potato or two, another quarter of the onion chopped, some minced garlic,and sprinkle a blend of your fav dry or fresh herbs overs this all. Pop the top back on the pressure cooker and bring back to pressure, only leave there about a minute or so, it won't take long to pressure steam veggys.

Pull the veggies out.

Strain the stock, remove the chicken from the bones, and in the same cooker now make a roux, butter and flour. Add the stock back to the roux to make a sauce, add some milk or cream with only a portion of the stock if you like, and season with salt and pepper, add back in the fresh steamed veggies and cooked chicken.

You now have what some call a chicken ala king. Serve over a hot bisquit, toast or mashed potatoes, or even pasta.

A variation on this is a very good chicken soup, by adding more stock or water to the pot and leave out the roux.

Pressure cookers are great for one pot quick meals like this, and your steaming not boiling the crap out of everything by using a rack or colander in the bottom. Lots of one pot recipes like this out there.

[gregb]

tutsiwarrior---

You could also buy a very good pressure cooker right here in Thailand made by the Zebra stainless company. I am quite sure that they could even EMS it to your home.

http://www.zebra-head.com/catalog/P19.pdf

Jim

Does anyone have any idea where to actually buy that Zebra pressure cooker in BKK? The hypermarket chains (Tesco, Carrefour, Big-C, Makro, etc) certainly don't have any. Also, what pressure is it rated up to? Catalog doesn't say. Any idea of price?

Anyone who has information let me know. A retail store name and location would be great. Like the OP, I'm also looking for a pressure cooker, but I'm looking to buy it here in Bangkok. Only the prices I've found are putting me off right now.

I've found a small one, (10 PSI and about 4 liters) at Index for 1800 baht. Can anyone do better?

Thanks.

[jeepholt]

I am wondering if any of you have info on how to get replacement gaskets and parts for pressure cookers here in Thailand? Or maybe how to make a new gasket or two? About 15 years ago, a Scandinavian friend left me his very heavy, good old pressure cooker. I used it for a couple of years. Worked great, then the big gasket started leaking which pretty much negates using it as a pressure cooker anymore. I tried for about 3 years to find a gasket for it here in Thailand, to no avail. I never did completely figure out the name of the pressure cooker since it was so old and worn down. I finally gave up and asked a friend to bring me a new one from that big mall in Minnesota. He brought me a nice size Presto and it is still working OK, but I have looked all around to see if I can find a back up gasket for it here in Pattaya and online. I can order a gasket from the Presto Company if I can ever figure out how to pay them to send it here and also risk the postal system not getting it here. Hope someone has some ideas on where to buy gaskets or else how to make them. If making them, what would the rubber/material be called in Thai?

BTW, customs at old Don Muang airport nailed my friend for 1,000 baht for customs when he carried the new pressure cooker in through the airport about 8 years ago. Nice of them I thought.

[newcomer01]

Robinsons in Chiangmai have the Zebra brand - can't remember the price.

[bottleymike]

If your looking for one in Pattaya, their is a Zebra shop on the third road past Tonys gym going towards the south Pattaya road.

i have not checked for a pressure cooker in there, but worth a look if your nearby.

[tutsiwarrior]

BTW, customs at old Don Muang airport nailed my friend for 1,000 baht for customs when he carried the new pressure cooker in through the airport about 8 years ago. Nice of them I thought.

... ...'you toucha my cooker I killa you family...'

strange...I hand carried my expensive motorized meat grinder, new in box in a carrier bag, thru DM green line customs without probs...

Edited August 27, 2007 by tutsiwarrior

[cathyy]

I have always preferred the Presto pressure cookers with the weight on the steam vent that gently rocks, giving a constant gentle hiss while the cooker is at full pressure. It's reassuring to me; if the hissing stops either I have reduced the temperature and lost pressure or the vent is blocked and I need to get it off the heat immediately. I don't like the ones with the weight that just vents every two or three minutes. I need the constant feedback that all is well and proceeding properly.

I did bring mine here with me. I need to dig it out. I am currently very ashamed of cooking beans here without using it!

[tutsiwarrior]

I have always preferred the Presto pressure cookers with the weight on the steam vent that gently rocks, giving a constant gentle hiss while the cooker is at full pressure. It's reassuring to me; if the hissing stops either I have reduced the temperature and lost pressure or the vent is blocked and I need to get it off the heat immediately. I don't like the ones with the weight that just vents every two or three minutes. I need the constant feedback that all is well and proceeding properly.

I did bring mine here with me. I need to dig it out. I am currently very ashamed of cooking beans here without using it!

for shame cathy; sumtime we must share a pot ob beans together....

tutsi's customs adventure...first there was escaping from Jeddah with the pot wrapped up in the baggage...I cornered an indian colleauge to ask: "you indian guys bundle up stuff to take home, what if I got a pressure cooker?" he lit a roll up and said "don't worry about it tuts...just say that it's an urn fer yer mother's ashes...dem dumb arabs don't know the diff..."

tutsi arrives at Sumbarnabum, sweaty and furtive, expecting to be brutalised by smiling thai customs people...no sweat; home free...(I also managed to smuggle a nested group of pyrex baking dishes...'you can't mess wid me you fcukin' screws!!!...')

at home, in de kitchen in go de beans, chopped onion, garlic and some oil with water to cover...pop it onto the burner...no hissing from the valve...soon the rivets in the handles start to pop...holy shit, I evacuated my two nieces who were assisting...the dumb valve wasn't working properly...had to bash it about to get the steam flowing...

my beautiful, innocent nieces turned their unfathomable black eyes to me in concern...I coulda killed whoever packaged that cooker...

the beans turned out crunchy...in a rage I ran to the beautiful terrace and hurled them into the distance (I made a mess and one of the nieces wearily picked up a mop to clean up after ...)

sheeeddd...can't win fer losin'...

Edited September 4, 2007 by tutsiwarrior

[tutsiwarrior]

jesus...got nieces all over the shop...the big ones in the a.m. that no longer goto school and help out their uncle tuts then the 5 y.olds get outta school and tutsi is overrun by little brown girls with day-glo knickers...tutsi: "what reason could anyone possibly have to select day-glow underwear?"...the wife lights up a fag and casts a jaundiced eye and sez " ye noticed did ye?"

no matter to me...I got 3 generations of beautiful thai women smothering me with adoration...to the MiL "Mama, my back hurts..." she puts down her drink and narrows her eyes, entangles me in human traction and sez "exactly where does it hurt?"...there could be serious impropriety involved but we are well chaperoned...

I look to find that the young niece is now 11 y.o. and developing rapidly and I remark "this is terrible, she useta be a beautiful little girl that liked to give her uncle tuts a cuddle..." then sumone said "yeah, her mum always had a nice ass..."

the wife just looks and implies "the rest of the family can handle the kids gettin' big...whatssamatta wid you?..."

b-b-b-ut I don't want them to get big...I want them to stay small and cuddly forever...

[KhunDennis]

That must be disappointing Tustsi, I can't stand crunchy beans either, and they have an off taste. If I do say so, I make a good pot of beans. For many years I have used a crock pot, slow cooker.

You have to be patient, because it takes all day, but the rewards are worth it, and you get that good smell going in your house. Gives you plenty of time to fine tune the taste you like too. The beans here seem extra hard, so I soak them from early afternoon to the next morning.

I brought a crock pot from the states, but I have seen them at Big C, labeled as a slow cooker, they have a ceramic pot sitting in a heating shell. You don't have to worry about scorching because it heats from the sides.

I start them first thing in the morning and they are nice and soft by around six in the eavening.

[KhunDennis]

Sorry I mispelled your name, I ment Tutsi

[newcomer01]

Just of the topic a bit, Anyone know where I can by split peas here in Chiangmai.

Winters coming, a ham hock and spit pea soup.

Thanks

[tutsiwarrior]

That must be disappointing Tustsi, I can't stand crunchy beans either, and they have an off taste. If I do say so, I make a good pot of beans. For many years I have used a crock pot, slow cooker.

You have to be patient, because it takes all day, but the rewards are worth it, and you get that good smell going in your house. Gives you plenty of time to fine tune the taste you like too. The beans here seem extra hard, so I soak them from early afternoon to the next morning.

I brought a crock pot from the states, but I have seen them at Big C, labeled as a slow cooker, they have a ceramic pot sitting in a heating shell. You don't have to worry about scorching because it heats from the sides.

I start them first thing in the morning and they are nice and soft by around six in the eavening.

I tried cooking beans in a rice cooker (see our dialog on a previous thread with the fabulous miz Jet); never worked out, unfortunately...slow cookers/crock pots are as scarce as hen's teeth in Thailand...

Just of the topic a bit, Anyone know where I can by split peas here in Chiangmai.

Winters coming, a ham hock and spit pea soup.

Thanks

they got yellow split peas almost anywhere at tescos...I mistook them fer lentils when attempting to make dahl once...ye gotta soak the shit outta the mothers and look forward to long cooking time...they got plenty ob hog jowl down the market; just right for pea soup...

[jcgodber]

Go and have a look at this web page at Zebra they have many receipes for cooking with a pressure cooker you can also call them at the listed Phone number I think that the is a Zebra shop in Supanburi.

http://www.zebra-head.com/en/faqs/frmRecip...Seq=3&All=5

Jim

[tutsiwarrior]

to get back to the original thread...anyone got a pressure cooker recipie for pea soup?...plenty ob split peas and hog jowl around...tots, carrots and celery...a root vegetable lover's delight...

butter sum nice toast and whallop that mother...Ma Joad couldn't do it better...

Edited September 5, 2007 by tutsiwarrior

[cathyy]

I rest my case for the Presto pressure cooker. Beans are the most dangerous thing to cook in a pressure cooker, as a bean skin can easily come loose and if the liquid level in the cooker is over half full it can boil up and block the vent. So a rule of thumb is never do more than a half-full pot of beans in the pressure cooker.

Found you a website with 500 pressure cooker recipes, a lot of them bean soups. Look under legumes, not beans, for split peas. pressure cooker recipes

[Jet Gorgon]

Noooo, Tutsi! Pressure cookers are for wimps. Just soak the beans a day or two. The rice cooker works every time. Jettie's honour.

[tutsiwarrior]

Noooo, Tutsi! Pressure cookers are for wimps. Just soak the beans a day or two. The rice cooker works every time. Jettie's honour.

miz Jet...as much as I admire and respect you and want to see you naked I must submit that I cannot obtain nice, soft kidneys with a rice cooker...

'...and I ran to the beautiful new terrace and hurled my crunchy kidneys into the distance...'

the kids hadta clean up after their crazy uncle tuts...tutsi is contrite; it shall not happen again...

[Jet Gorgon]

Well buy the damed canned ones then. Or soak for two days and cook them on their own for a day before you add the other stuff.

[tutsiwarrior]

Well buy the damed canned ones then. Or soak for two days and cook them on their own for a day before you add the other stuff.

the whole idea about cooking beans is that ye can't find the canned ones to begin with ...whatssamatta wid you that you can't see the economy???...my...serpent...haired...vixen...

('tutsi and jettie sittin' inna tree...k-i-s-s-ing...)

[Jet Gorgon]

I'm gonna tell your wifey...what's her email address? [email protected]

Go to BKK and get the feking cans.

[cathyy]

Trips to BKK are few and far between for some of us. If we got enough farang stuff to last until the next trip we'd need an extra car to haul it all home. No, cooking beans is a worthwhile goal if you want beans regularly.

But Tutsi, I had a thought; you aren't adding any salt to the water you soak or cook the beans in, are you? They'll never get tender if you do. You add the salt after they are done. Let us know when you get some good beans cooked in the pressure cooker. Soak first!