Overfilling the cooker often creates foam that clogs the cooker’s safety valve and vents. It prevents the steam from escaping and increasing the pressure to dangerous levels.
Avoid these pressure cooker mistakes: Pressure cookers are indispensable part of kitchen. It cooks food fast and consumes less gas. If pressure cooker is not used properly then it can be dangerous too. Using a pressure cooker comes with some guidelines that need to be followed for safety and best results.
Most of the times due to our carelessness cooker explodes. Therefore it is very important to know the common mistakes and avoid it.
- Overfilling the cooker: Many people rush to fill the entire cooker with vegetables or other stuff. In fact, there should always be some space left in the cooker. So that the steam can easily build up and escape. Overfilling the cooker often creates foam that clogs the cooker’s safety valve and vents. It prevents the steam from escaping and increasing the pressure to dangerous levels.
- Old Gasket: Another major reason is the deterioration of the rubber gasket of the cooker. This rubber ring works to create a tight seal between the lid of the cooker and the pot, so that the steam inside does not escape and the pressure builds up properly. But over time the rubber becomes old, hard or cracked. when it doesn’t seal properly, steam starts leaking out the wrong way or the pressure inside becomes too high. Therefore, this rubber ring should be checked every few months, and if any cracks or wear are found in it, it should be replaced immediately.
- Safety Valve: A safety valve is a small passage through which excess steam escapes. Often during cooking, small pieces of food or foam get stuck in this valve, which completely blocks this passage. When this passage is closed, the steam has no way to escape, and the internal pressure keeps increasing, which eventually causes the cooker to explode. So, this valve should be cleaned before every cooking to see if it is closed.
- Open cooker quickly: A common mistake is to open the cooker too quickly without fully venting the steam. Doing so is very dangerous, as there is still a lot of pressure and hot steam inside. So, always allow the cooker to cool down on its own first. Apart from this you can slowly release the steam from the pressure release valve or whistle.
If these small things are taken care of, pressure cooker accidents can be easily avoided. With a little care and proper practice, you can make your kitchen safe and take full advantage of the pressure cooker without any fear.
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