[rdst_1]

I am also thinking of buying a Magic Pot, but I would like to ask that whether the food tastes different when cooked in this manner. I have heard about Chicken Tikka and even seen him cook Mutton lollypops but surely the taste of grilled/roasted meat can't be replicated by pressure cooking.
What I am interested in is that the food gets cooked quickly and I am guessing the results are actually very similar because the recipes are quite detailed in all aspects.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by rdst_1

I am also thinking of buying a Magic Pot, but I would like to ask that whether the food tastes different when cooked in this manner. I have heard about Chicken Tikka and even seen him cook Mutton lollypops but surely the taste of grilled/roasted meat can't be replicated by pressure cooking.
What I am interested in is that the food gets cooked quickly and I am guessing the results are actually very similar because the recipes are quite detailed in all aspects.

My opinion it's almost there. I would say 90%. Of course some dishes can't be replicated 100%.

But it more than makes up with ease of cooking daily. Go for the MP it comes with all the measuring cups, etc. It's a bit pricey compared to similar sized steel cookers available in the market, but I think justified due to the ease of cooking and all the support surrounding it!

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by vibbs

I think justified due to the ease of cooking and all the support surrounding it!

Is this the model you guys are talking about?

https://shop.oposkit.com/product/magic-pot/

[rdst_1]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Is this the model you guys are talking about?

Yes sir. Although they have also come out with an electric version, similar to Instant Pot. It seems to be fully automatic and can be loaded with presets for your favorite dishes. However, I will like, not to be the guinea pig who pre-orders that, and wait for real reviews to come out.

[naveenroy]

Maybe the best place to ask help!

Many apartments here in the US have electric cooking ranges. We moved to one that has cooking gas and it has been wonderful. We're able to use round-bottom vessels and the cooking time is much lesser too. However, I see that the grill above the gas burners are quite high. This ends up wasting gas and I am sure we can reduce the cooking time even more. Anyone faced similar issues or have any ideas on how to fix this?

I will post up pictures to show what I am talking about soon. As a quick jugaad, I turned the grill upside down and now it is very close to the burner and cooking time is lesser. But this is not an ideal solution as the grill sits at an angle when upside down.

My one idea was to put in a cylinderical steel piece under the burner (to make it higher) but not sure how safe it is to use it that way. Any other thoughts?

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Is this the model you guys are talking about?

https://shop.oposkit.com/product/magic-pot/

Yes this is the one we have at home as well.

Though my wife now also uses a 5Litre normal pressure cooker and scales upwards when she cooks larger quantities.

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Hello OPOS family,


I'm a recent convert and life couldn't be better. As a startup guy working late hours who has hated microwaved food, OPOS is a blessing for a ketoer like me - my maid cuts the veggies and i just cook it. Food taste is predictably yum every single time and it literally gets ready in ten minutes.


A whole bunch of friends across India and USA are now OPOSing veg and non veg dishes. it has inspired other male relatives to take up cooking. This is truly a movement and has changed the lives of millions. I'm surprised it hasn't caught on as much here - even as we have enough enthu cooks of the traditional style here!


Further - as most of us are men, learning OPOS is a way of truly helping out with the family and our wives! Everyone should OPOS in 2019. I have even heard of a few college kids overseas who do!

Generations of thousands of families have been using the pressure cooker - not just for boiling rice but for making dal with tadka, mutton, beef curry, stews, pulaos etc (in single continuous operation). - along with parallel cooking also like rice, dal, stews (using multiple containers) and also baking cakes (using dry heat).

Also on the point about using less water: I always use extremely conservative amount of water (around 1 cup for 10 minutes cooking) - which is also what is advised in the operating manual (since it is the steam that cooks the food, not the water). People are generally not aware and that's why they flood the cooker with water. In fact I remember a few dishes where I do not add any water since the vegetables and meat itself has enough moisture to cook.

Please don't mind this, but it appears to be a marketing fad to sell a different vessel.


On the duration of cooking aspect: I have made a record of the entire duration and quite frankly there are only three things that really take most time:
1) cleaning and cutting the raw material (meat, veggies, spices)
2) frying thin sliced onions to get golden brown slivers
3) browning the meat

Rest of the Indian (all right North Indian) cooking, which is combo of stir frying, braising, stewing etc, neither takes much time (unless we are taking about difficult cuts of meat) nor continued presence at kitchen.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by alpha1

Please don't mind this, but it appears to be a marketing fad to sell a different vessel.

Totally disagree brother.


This is at its core about sheer standardization and repeatability of taste. That means a reference design. Which is what they sell. You can buy that cooker directly off amazon for one third the kit price - so fad, no way.



At no point is anyone turning cult-ish and saying you can't use it in a normal 2L cooker but none of us had one - I have had 3.5L or so cooker for a decade and a half. I had to buy one. Why not the official kit? Its partially my thanks to the organizing team.

Originally Posted by alpha1

neither takes much time (unless we are taking about difficult cuts of meat) nor continued presence at kitchen.

Conceptually agree. As someone who has otherwise been a really passable cook, I am not denying that it is maybe an evolution and only a few minutes saved vs a competent cook - all I am saying is that its current iteration is super nice / convenient and reliable in getting a great taste even for things like a veg biryani - something I had never imagined me making.


To me, OPOS = standardization. It has made cooking more fun and predictable for a non-cook like me.

[Aroy]

Regarding pots and Pans. Over time you tend to collect various sizes, especially if the quantities cooked vary a lot.

1. Pressure cookers of various capacities give you the optimum size for the job, though you can easily cook small amounts in a larger size, if used frequently multiple sizes help. I have three
- 2L for small batches of Dal.
- 6.5L, this is our go to size for most of the jobs.
- 12L for really large batches of food for my dog or when cooking for parties.

2. Pans. Again the right size is the best. Over time I have collected at least 15 of them, both SS and Aluminum, varying from small 6" ones to giant 18" diameter. Smaller ones are heavy gauge SS and are used mainly for tea, milk and reheating. Medium ones for general cooking, and the 10" to 18" aluminum ones for Biryani, Mutton and large batches of vegetables.

3. Kadahi. Over the years collected at least six off then. Again sizes vary from 6" iron one to giant heavy gauge 22" Aluminum ones. We use the one that is right size for the job, be it vegetables or mutton/chicken or kheer.

4. Frying pans. After using non stick pans for more than 30 years, I have got rid of them all and now have two cast enameled iron ones - 8" and 12". To that you can add a heavy duty grilling pan (used rarely) and a cast iron sizzler pan.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Totally disagree brother.


.

Agree. Its easy to dismiss OPOS specially when you are a good enough cook. I did the same mistake.
Now Even though i dont follow OPOS, I cannot help but admire how easy it has made cooking for people who follow it.
5 chicken legs fried in 5 Tsp oil ready in less than 10 mins.
Curries are cooked without even sauteing onions and just adding up in layers with 1-2 tsp of water and cooked in again less than 10 mins and in one shot.

Seasoned cooks may be able to do it, but OPOS lets normal people to achieve the same thing.

[prateekm]

Originally Posted by bblost

This is simply because most people don't know how to cook.

I make some of the juiciest chicken and never marinate it.
The secret is a small digital thermometer, which I use to monitor the temperature.
70C is just about the right temperature.

For mutton, the pressure cooker does it super easy.
Fish can literally cook in the steam from the gravy and people unnecessarily destroy its delicate texture by overcooking.

Can you share more info on how to cook chicken with the help of a digital thermometer? Do we try and keep a constant 70 deg for a stipulated amount of time before we turn off the gas?

[bblost]

Originally Posted by prateekm

Can you share more info on how to cook chicken with the help of a digital thermometer? Do we try and keep a constant 70 deg for a stipulated amount of time before we turn off the gas?

This is how I do it for chicken breasts.

1. Cut it so that the piece is of even thickness.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Hot pan, a drop of oil or butter.
4. Place chicken breast with the smooth side down. Note the time.
5. Cook on medium heat and watch the color start changing from below.
6. When more than half the chicken piece's color has changed flip it over. Calculate how much time had elapsed.
7. Cook for 50% of the elapsed time.
8. Poke the thermometer into the thickest part of the piece.
9. If temperature has reached 70C in the middle, remove the piece.
10. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing it up.

A good video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQzIsovThMM

Bonus : Two of my recipes:

For Pesto, blend the following ingredients into a fine paste.

Toasted walnuts and pistachio. About 3 to 4 tablespoons.
Coriander leaves and stems.
Juice of two lemons.
5-6 cloves of garlic.
Either extra virgin olive oil or sesame oil.
Salt.
You Need:

Chicken Breast
Freshly Ground Pepper.
Salt.
Thin (5 mm) cut pumpkin slices.
Whole Green chilies
Wash and pat dry the chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper on it. Leave it aside for a couple of mins. Its should be dry when it goes into the pan. Heat a pan. It should be HOT but not smoking hot like my kids mom. Place the chicken, presentation side down. Keep it somewhere between medium and full heat. Cover with a lid. Not air tight. More like an umbrella that reflects back the heat into the chicken.

Use tongs to see if the chicken is able to leave the pan on its own. Do not force it. When its ready the chicken will get unstuck on its own. Cook the other side for approximately the same amount of time. But use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. When its around 50C, spread out pumpkin slices and the green chilies all over the pan. When the internal temperature of the chicken breast has crossed 67C, take it out. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes before you slice it. Remove the pumpkin and t green chilies when they are done. Chop the green chilies and use as a garnish.

Alternate chicken and pumpkin slices with a spread of pesto in between them.

Enjoy.

This will be STRONG. But if you like it hot, you will not be able to resist yourself.

You Need:

Fresh Red Chilies.
A couple of cloves of Garlic.
Chicken. I used breast with skin.
Lemon juice.
Butter.
Puree the chilies with garlic. Taste it. It must have a nice fiery bite in it. If any of the chili paste gets on your skin, wash immediately with soap. If you forget and touch your face, you will have to stop whatever you are doing and spend some time thinking about the futility of life.

Dry brine the chicken for best results. Pat it dry. The skin must be dry when it goes into the hot pan.

Use a pan that has a lid. Melt butter. Keep the temperature a little high but before the butter become too dark, place the chicken with its skin side down.

Let it sizzle. Use a spoon to baste the chicken. Cook on medium to high heat till the skin is able to leave the pan without any force from you. At this point add the chili paste. Stir it in. Leave the pan covered on low heat for at least 10-13 minutes. Use the juice of a lemon to de-glaze the pan.

Check the chicken using a thermometer. If the thickest part of the chicken has reached 65C, remove it from the pan. Scrape the residues in the pan.

Chicken must rest at least 5 minutes before you slice it. The chili paste you scrapped out of the pan. Apply it over the chicken like a spread.

Enjoy.

Originally Posted by vibbs

Seasoned cooks may be able to do it, but OPOS lets normal people to achieve the same thing.

I would rephrase this like this:
but OPOS lets normal people to achieve SOMETHING CLOSE TO the same thing.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by bblost

I would rephrase this like this:
but OPOS lets normal people to achieve SOMETHING CLOSE TO the same thing.

I agree with that. This is what I always maintain as well and one of the other reasons why I never do OPOS.

The dish you posted looks yummy BTW.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by bblost

I would rephrase this like this:
but OPOS lets normal people to achieve SOMETHING CLOSE TO the same thing.

Agreed. OPOS is a saver for Maggi level cooks or perhaps those who get to eat something healthy instead of depending on maids/ canteens/ restaurants/ fast food.
For most Indian recipes, one would have different steps or times to add ingredients, it is primarily to release specific aroma/ flavour of those ingredients/ spices at right times.

I have a doubt about how to use moong, matki, etc in OPOS recipes. Usually my OPOS experiments have not gone well unless it is cauliflower/ potato type of veggies. Need to step up to the next level, would appreciate any advice for this.

[carboy]

Can someone give an OPOS style recipe for spicy & oily chole/chana masala using a pressure cooker? I don't have any cooking skills & I want to try out OPOS style cooking. I don't have any OPOS equipment except a regular pressure cooker.

I just want to try one thing before going any further.