| I'm often asked how I find time to cook. My answer | | | | release system will prevent explosions. The 5 liter |
| has two parts. First, healthy delicious food is essential | | | | size usually suits a family of 4. As when selecting any |
| for my well-being, so cooking usually comes first on | | | | piece of cookware, pick it up by the handles and |
| my to-do list. Also, I find nothing more relaxing, | | | | make sure it feels right in your hands. |
| creative or satisfying than trying a new dish or | | | | My Magefesa pressure cooker is highly rated and has |
| savoring an old favorite. Second, I use a pressure | | | | performed beautifully for 17 years ( Kuhn Rikon's |
| cooker. The usual response I get is, "The ones that | | | | Duromatic pressure cooker is also highly rated ( |
| explode?" Not exactly. | | | | Perfect brown rice begins with the right rice. I like |
| Pressure cookers have come a long way since the | | | | Ohsawa Rose medium grain or Southern Brown long |
| days of noisy valves and an occasional explosion. | | | | grain rice. Both are available at Goldmine Natural Food |
| Thanks to new technology, today's pressure cookers | | | | ( The Ohsawa pot is essential and also available at |
| automatically depressurize when overheated. A | | | | Goldmine Natural Food. The rice is cooked in this pot |
| pressure cooker is essential for quick preparation of | | | | inside the pressure cooker. This makes scorching |
| whole grains and beans. For example, brown rice | | | | impossible. The recipe also calls for kombu, a |
| takes one hour to cook conventionally. It also | | | | seaweed that tenderizes the rice, making it easier to |
| requires the use of a flame tamer or very low heat | | | | digest. Find it at your local natural foods store. |
| to avoid scorching. With a pressure cooker, it takes | | | | Perfect Pressure Cooked Brown Rice |
| 35 minutes and won't scorch if an Ohsawa pot is | | | | 1-1/2 cups brown rice |
| used. Black beans cook in two hours conventionally, | | | | ½ tsp salt |
| but take only 25 minutes in a pressure cooker. Long | | | | 1 stick kombu |
| bean soaking times can also be avoided with a | | | | Water |
| pressure cooker. | | | | Wash the rice by placing it in a bowl and filling the |
| There are other advantages to pressure cooking. | | | | bowl with water. Stir the rice around with your hand. |
| Foods retain their nutrient value because pressure | | | | Chaff will float to the top. Carefully pour off the |
| cooking uses less water and the nearly airtight seal | | | | water and the chaff. Do this twice more or until the |
| prevents nutrients from escaping. Pressure cooking | | | | water runs clear. |
| tenderizes meat quickly so less expensive cuts can | | | | Place the rice in a one-quart Ohsawa pot. Add the |
| be used. Lower cooking times use less energy. | | | | salt and the kombu. Fill the pot to the top with water |
| Select a stainless steel pressure cooker. Aluminum | | | | and secure the lid. Fill the pressure cooker with one |
| ones are available, but will leach harmful aluminum into | | | | inch of water. Place the Ohsawa pot inside. Secure |
| the food. Look for a removable pressure regulator. A | | | | the lid of the pressure cooker and bring it to 15 |
| removable one is far easier to clean when it | | | | pounds pressure according to its instructions. Cook |
| becomes clogged with food. The pressure cooker | | | | for 35 minutes, and then remove the pressure |
| must generate at least 15 pounds of pressure to | | | | cooker from the burner. Allow it to depressurize on |
| save time over conventional methods. A lid locking | | | | its own. Serves 4 to 6. |
| mechanism and pressure cooker and have a pressure | | | | |