Well, if you know what a pressure-cooker is, you most likely are from the Indian subcontinent. Simple as dal! No Indian kitchen worth its salt would be without one– seriously! And if it doesn’t have one, then I am here to tell you right here and right now, that such an Indian kitchen is an ill-equipped one, nay, it couldn’t be Indian at all!
A pressure-cooker in an Indian kitchen is just one of those utensils that is used for everything from cooking lentils to meats, and sometimes even veggies. So, yes, of course, I have a pressure-cooker, and of course, I use it most flamboyantly, but the fact is that I don’t use it so much for cooking my vegetable dishes, or subzis, as they are called. The reason for this is because there’s a fine line between cooking your veggies to be fork-tender, to rendering them into a mush– the latter being altogether undesirable!
And so, a much experienced user of the pressure-cooker would know just how to cook those veggies to the right texture– soft and tender, and flavorful with all the seasonings without so much as letting a single piece fall apart.
Which is what I did yesterday. This delectable subzi of baby eggplant, baby carrots and yukon gold potatoes went into a seasoning of onions, garlic, aamchur, and some garam masala to be stir-fried for a bit, before a cup of hot water was added to it, and the lid of the pressure-cooker firmly put into place for exactly seven minutes. Turn off the fire, let it sit for another ten minutes before you open the lid, and when you do, prepare to be assaulted by an aroma so fragrant and delicious that you will want to get started with dinner rightaway, whether or not its time!
Very informative- and looks delicious!
TY M.