PRESSURE COOKER INSTRUCTION MANUAL with 21 tested recipes PRESSURE COOKER INSTRUCTION MANUAL with 21 tested recipes ‘Hawkins’ and ’Futura’ are registered trademarks in 18 and 22 countries respectively. ‘Hawkins Ventura’/’Ventura’/’Ventile’ are trademarks, pending registrations. 2003 Copyright Reserved by Hawkins Cookers Limited. All Rights Reserved. Edited and published by Brahm Vasudeva on behalf of Hawkins Cookers Limited, Maker Tower F-101, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai 400 005, India and printed at Usha Multigraphs, Mumbai. IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS 2 1. Read all instructions. 12. Do not fill the unit over ∕3 full. When 16. Never lift pressure regulator for reducing cooking foods that expand during cooking pressure in the case of liquid or frothing 2. Do not touch hot surfaces. Use handles. such as rice or dried vegetables, do not fill the foods. 3. Close supervision is necessary when the 1 unit over ∕2 full. When cooking dal/pulses pressure cooker is used near children. 17. Do not use this pressure cooker for which sprout, never fill the cooker more than pressure frying with oil. 1 4. Do not place the pressure cooker in a ∕3 full. Over filling may cause a risk of 18. Never use the cooker body for deep heated oven. clogging the steam vent and developing frying or light frying for more than excess pressure. See Food Preparation 5. Do not wash in a dishwasher. 20 minutes at a time or as an oven for dry Instructions i.e. "Easy Tips for Better Cooking" 6. Extreme caution must be used when heating or baking, since the strength of the on page 11. moving a pressure cooker containing hot metal may decrease to a dangerous level. liquids. 13. Be aware that certain foods, such as 19. The safety valve is fusible type and applesauce, cranberries, pearl barley, 7. Do not use pressure cooker for other operates automatically in the event of excess oatmeal or other cereals, split peas, noodles, than intended use. pressure. If activated, please put off the heat macaroni, rhubarb, or spaghetti can foam, source and replace the safety valve with a 8. This appliance cooks under pressure of froth and sputter, and clog the pressure 2 genuine Hawkins safety valve. 103 kPa (15 lbs/in ). Improper use may result release device (steam vent). These foods in scalding injury. Do not use the unit unless should not be cooked in a pressure cooker. 20. Do not attempt to make any changes to it is properly closed. See "How to Close the the pressure regulator and safety valve. 14. When the normal operating pressure is Hawkins Ventura" on the inside front cover. Repairs other than the replacement of gasket, reached, turn the heat down so all the liquid, plastic handles, safety valve and the pressure 9. Always check that the steam vent is clear which creates the steam, does not regulator must be done only by an authorised immediately before closing the lid for pressure evaporate. cooking. service centre/representative. All replacement 15. Never attempt to force open the parts must be genuine Hawkins parts. 10. The pressure regulator is an accurately pressure cooker. Do not open the pressure weighted device to regulate operating cooker until the unit has cooled and internal pressure. Never place anything over the pressure has been released. If the handles 21. SAVE THESE pressure regulator while cooking. are difficult to push apart, this indicates that 11. Always place water as indicated in each the cooker is still pressurized – do not force INSTRUCTIONS. recipe (or one cup for every 10 minutes of it open. Any pressure in the cooker can be pressure cooking time) in the pressure cooker hazardous. See "Operating Instructions" on body before pressure cooking. pages 15 and 16. 2 CONTENTS PAGE IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS 2 OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 4 Useful General Information 4 Parts of the Hawkins Ventura Pressure Cooker 5 Product Information: Getting to Know Your Hawkins Ventura 6 Trial Run 9 Easy Tips for Better Cooking 11 Measurements 17 Cooking Rice 18 Cooking Dal 19 Pressure Cooking Charts 20 (Rice, Vegetables and Legumes, Meat, Poultry and Seafood) Using Grid, Separators & Molds 27 Care and Cleaning 31 Parts and Service 34 RECIPES Indian 37 International 49 Glossary (Meanings and Methods) 54 Translations 57 INDEX OF RECIPES AND CHARTS 58 3 OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS Useful General Information Principles of Pressure Cooking or 250oF) ensures completely hygienic food. The Ventura can even be Ordinary open-pot cooking is done at the boiling point of water used for sterilizing. o o which produces steam at sea level at 100 C (212 F). Pressure cooking Improves Taste. Closed cooking in super-heated steam better works by sealing the steam in a pot so that there is a rise in pressure evokes the natural flavours of the food – producing delicious results. to a safe, controlled extent which raises the boiling point of water and Versatile. Your Hawkins Ventura cooks a wide range of foods. therefore the cooking temperature. The steam permeates through the Whether parts of recipes or entire meals, the Ventura can be a food, tenderizing it, infusing it with flavour, preserving nutrients, trusted, indispensable help in the kitchen. colour, texture and juices and cooking much faster. The Hawkins Ventura Pressure Cooker cooks food at 121oC (250oF) at a pressure of Advantages of Hawkins Ventura 15 lb per square inch (1 kg per square cm). Safe Benefits of Hawkins Ventura Pressure Cooking • Pressure-locked Safety Lid. When there is pressure inside the This Manual, your Hawkins Ventura Pressure Cooker and your own cooker, the lid is pressure-locked like a modern jetliner door. It skill will enable you to produce delicious and nutritious food quickly, cannot be opened until the pressure has fallen to a safe level. easily and economically. • Automatic Safety Valve is positioned such that, if it operates, Faster Cooking. Hawkins Ventura cooking can reduce normal the steam and food are deflected safely downwards. cooking times by as much as half. Economical foods such as legumes • Automatic Air Ventile expels air automatically before cooking – (lentils, dried peas and beans) and tougher cuts of meat can be your food is cooked in pure steam. Cooking in pure steam is cooked to perfection in a fraction of the normal time. faster and also safer because the safety valve works at the right Fuel Saving. Because food cooks faster in a pressure cooker, you time when required. The air ventile is a handy visual indicator of save fuel, and therefore money. pressure inside the cooker. More Healthful. Scientific literature indicates that certain nutritive Fast elements such as proteins and vitamins are better retained by pressure • Black Hard Anodised Base absorbs heat quickly and evenly, cooking. Steaming is ideal for low-calorie, low-fat cooking. resulting in faster cooking and more fuel saving; will not tarnish, More Hygienic. The higher temperature in Ventura cooking (121oC pit or corrode. 4 Better Pressure Regulation Cooker has special metal alloy handle bar and handle brackets New Improved Black Pressure Regulator regulates pressure to withstand rust. better, cooks faster, saves more fuel, is easier to insert and Using Your Own Recipes remove and reduces dal sprouting. We recommend the recipes we have actually tested and Trouble-Free included in this Manual. Once you are familiar with cooking with Longer Lasting Gasket. As the lid fits from inside, the gasket your Hawkins Ventura Pressure Cooker, you may adapt recipes does not get rubbed sideways every time the pressure cooker from other cookbooks or use your own, making sure that you is opened or closed. Also, the gasket is not exposed to food adjust cooking time, food and water quantities as may be acids in the pressure cooker due to its sealing position and needed (see Easy Tips for Better Cooking pages 11 to 16). the protection given to it by the shape of the lid. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO COOK IN THE VENTURA WITHOUT FIRST Rust Proof Components. The Hawkins Ventura Pressure READING CAREFULLY THE REMAINING INSTRUCTIONS. Parts of the Ventura Pressure Cooker SAFETY VALVE PRESSURE REGULATOR LID HANDLE BAR STEAM VENT AIR VENTILE LID HANDLE LID LATCH GASKET BODY HANDLE SUBSIDIARY HANDLE COOKER BODY HARD ANODISED BASE 5 Product Information: Getting to Know Your Hawkins Ventura The stated volume of all pressure cookers is with lid closed. The pressure regulator/vent weight automatically maintains Cooking capacity in a pressure cooker is less than its full volume. the cooking pressure of about 15 pounds per square inch (1 kg per To safeguard against clogging the steam vent and to provide square cm). The pressure regulator has to be placed on the steam space for steam, the cooker body should never be filled more vent/vent tube and pressed into position. When the pressure than two-thirds and for liquid foods, never more than half. regulator is pressed down on the steam vent, there is a slight click Two-thirds and half levels are indicated inside the cooker which indicates the pressure regulator is in the correct position. body as ‘Maximum Food Level’ and ‘Maximum Food Level for Certain Foods’ respectively. In the 5 litre (5¼ quarts) Hawkins Ventura the two-thirds capacity is about 13½ cups/3.2 litres and half capacity is about 10 cups/2.4 litres. MAXIMUM FOOD LEVELS The pressure regulator has a spring mechanism which holds the pressure regulator on to the steam vent and is strong enough to prevent it from falling off should the lid be inverted. The cooker body comes fitted with a body handle screwed on to a body handle bracket attached to the cooker body. There is a subsidiary handle attached to the cooker body, which helps carry the cooker when it is loaded.