Pressure Cooking and Pressure Frying

Pressure Cooking
Pressure cooking is usually done in a pressure cooker. Pressure cooking is a method of cooking in a closed vessel that does not permit air or liquids to escape below a preset pressure. Boiling point of the water increases as the pressure increases. Pressure cooking depends on the pressure of the steam. It is not used for roasting, pan frying and deep frying. The high temperature during pressure cooking make the food to cook faster and cooking time can be reduced. Pressure cooking makes cooking inexpensive. This mode of cooking saves money by fast cooking and by saving fuel. Pressure cooking also saves nutrients of the food by cooking food air tightly.

The process involved in pressure cooking is when water boils steam is produced. Pressure cooker traps steam inside the vessel which build pressure in the cooker. Under pressure, the temperature increases higher than the normal conditions. The steam produced by high temperature cooks food quickly, evenly and deliciously. By pressure cooking the kitchen stays cooler and cleaner because the food is cooked in a covered sealed vessel which traps all the steam inside the vessel and thereby avoids spilling of food. In pressure cooking a regulator releases steam when the pressure exceeds. The regulator is a vent weight which allows the pressure to escape. There is a safety valve which functions as a back up pressure mechanism which releases pressure when the primary pressure release mechanism fails. By this mechanism it avoids explosion of the vessel due to high pressure.

There are certain advantages for pressure cooking:

(1)Faster cooking
(2)Due to shorter time of cooking, it uses less fuel.
(3) The food is cooked above the boiling point and it will kill germs. Pressure cooking is hygienic, since the food is cooked in a closed pot.
(4)Easy to cook.
(5)Higher quality of cooking.
(6)Pressure pan can be used for cooking large quantities.
(7)Easy to clean.
(8)Different types of foods can be cooked at the same time by saving fuel.

Pressure Frying
Pressure frying is deep frying of food under pressure. It speeds up the frying time and saves fuel. Pressure fryer is used for pressure frying. Pressure frying is a variation of pressure cooking where oil and the food brought to high temperature along with high pressure to cook the food quickly. Industrial kitchens use pressure frying. Pressure cookers are not meant for pressure frying.

Pressure frying is popular because it produces flavorful products with crispy exteriors and with juicy and moist interiors. Crispness is the major characteristics of fried food. It is difficult to maintain this crispness due to moisture movement from the centre of the food to the crust and also from the surroundings; this can be avoid by pressure frying.

Pressure frying does not reduce fat and not much healthier. Vegetable oils are best for pressure cooking.

To fry food in the pressure fryer first fill the fryer with adequate quantity of oil and add the food after the oil is hot. Keep the lid open, until the food is half done and then put the lid. Continue cooking till the food is fried. Then releases the pressure using the pressure valve and then remove the lid. Take food and let the oil cool and then add next batch of food. Pressure fryers are normally used in restaurants. Pressure fryers are computer programmed to and have an automatic pressure release and audible signal at the end of the cooking cycle to show the food is fried.

Pressure frying is a way of frying to produce better and healthier food. With pressure frying the food does not dried out like other methods.