What is Instant Pot?
It is a type of electric multicooker designed to replace several kitchen appliances in one! It has various programmed functions allow you to pressure cook, steam, sauté, slow cook, and boil food quickly and conveniently. This product was released in the market back in 2010 and has instantly captured the interest of professionals and home cooks worldwide. To date, Instant Pot offers several versions and models with up to 11 functionalities. Reasons to LOVE Instant Pot It might take time to get used to Instant Pot, but once you get the gist, having an Instant Pot is an absolute delight in the kitchen! So if you still have doubts, here are some reasons why you need it! It saves you time. One of its key advantages is cutting down the usual cooking time for many classic dishes without sacrificing quality! You can do everything in one pot, and cleaning is a breeze too! In addition, the inner cooking pot is dishwasher-friendly. It saves you space. This is precisely why you need one if you want to clear up your kitchen space from too many appliances. It is also ideal for sharing spaces with others in apartments or dorms. It saves you money. Instead of buying several appliances, you can invest in one Instant Pot and whip up dishes that taste like a million bucks in lesser time! It saves you effort. We love how you can place all the ingredients in, set it up, and walk away.No constant stirring nor standing watch in front of the stovetop is needed with Instant Pot’s various programmed functions right at your fingertips.
Instant Pot Terminology
To help you get started, here are some Instant Pot 101 terminologies you need to know first. You can also read my detailed post about all the instant pot terminology you should know as a beginner.
How To Set Up An Instant Pot?
Unboxing – If you are using it for the first time, always read the instruction manual first. Here’s a checklist of all the items included in the box:
cooker base power cord pressure cooking lid stainless steel inner pot trivet/steamer rack measuring cup condensation cup paddle spoon/ ladle User Manual, Quick Reference Guide, Recipe Booklet, and Cooking Time Tables.
First, the Water Test – Once you unbox your IP, the next step is to do a water test to check its functionality. You will find the easy-to-follow instructions in the manual. Here’s a quick run-through for you: Depending on the model you bought, a 7-in-1 Instant Pot would usually have the following functions:
Soup/ Broth Meat/Stew Bean/Chili Poultry Rice Multigrain Porridge Steam Slow Cook Saute Yoghurt Pressure Cook
Best Instant Pot Recipes
If you are new to Instant Pot cooking, my advice is to start with simple recipes. Check out a few of my favourite instant pot recipe collections.
For Indian food lovers, or I should say curry lovers, my debut cookbook, The 100 Best Curry Recipes for your Instant Pot, is a collection of tried and tested delicious, instant pot-friendly Indian recipes.
If I have missed anything in this Instant Pot 101 guide, feel free to mention the same in the comments below, and I will try my best to include it in this post.
More Instant Pot 101 Guides
Instant Pot Terminology 5 Uses of Instant Pot For Indian Cooking Instant Pot vs Pressure Cooker: Which is Better? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter or follow us on Youtube for video recipes.
