Diverse and indigenous cuisine brought by the many ethnic people to St. Maarten from all over the world piques our interest. To this end, we are on a quest to find where it comes from, if it is used for celebrations, if it is exotic to some but normal food to others. Anything to do with keeping the body and soul nourished with what is produced from good old terra firma is what makes the world go around.
Instant Pot – small kitchen appliance, big impact!
I was out having lunch - it was a beautiful pink lunch and a few French fries as well!
We were celebrating a bit of a French win in a genteel way and chatting about everything in general when I mentioned the absolutely “in” appliance that I finally have in my kitchen that everyone seems to know about. I was quite glad to hear her say she did not know what this appliance was. (I am not the only behind the times person then.)
I mention this here because this “find” is a perfect gift for anyone who lives in a small space, and many young students will be heading off island to live in small spaces where they will need something to cook in.
The Instant Pot can be bought from Amazon and probably many stores but there are other brands that are similar that can also be bought from appliance stores. Another friend of mine has one – different brand name – that she has served me delish curries, perfectly cooked rice and delightful desserts from.
A couple months ago my young sprog bought one, a small one (I learnt you can get them in different sizes.) She made a bean dish and was exclaiming how fast the beans cooked up. “Okay, really,” I thought, “soak beans overnight and cook them up the next day, just tune into organizing your time better.”
Another sprog invested in one. She found that as a working Mum her cooking, (when she got home in the evening and she used this appliance,) “meal from stove to table” time was cut down considerably.
I started to show some interest in this new concept. Really, I did not need another appliance, one must draw the line somewhere, but there was something intriguing about it. Next thing I knew I was given one as a gift. And there it sat on my kitchen counter for quite a few weeks.
This electric pressure cooker, slow-cooker, yogurt-maker, milk-pasteurizer, sauté pot, rice-cooker all-in-one sensation that many apparently adore for its speed and versatility sat there looking so forlorn that eventually I had to do something with it.
I made a curry! Stew by any other name! I added the ingredients and pressured it. Well, nothing happened. I could not get the thing to cook. Turns out (after some help from the sprog) I was trying to get complicated. After this I now sauté then add the ingredients and set the lid firmly in position – turn it on and honestly in less time than it takes to clean up the kitchen the stew is cooked. It takes far less time than a regular pressure pot (one of my fave indoor cooking utensils for tougher cuts.) The lid clips into place easily and after cooking unclips just as easily. My most recent pressure pot is almost impossible to use because of the lid which needs the strength of a goliath to clip and unclip!
I have a slow cooker too. It is such a useful appliance. I pop food into the inner ceramic pot, leave the house and return to a delicious meal but the outside is rusting away (hurricane to blame.) The slow cooker has a nice shape where a large roast can nestle into, the Instant Pot does not. There is something so appealing about looking at a roast sitting cooking away in the right position whether it is in the oven or in the slow cooker.
The instant pot is deep and circular – well the appliance really is a pressure cooker in shape – so the slow cooked pork needed a bit of adapting. Instead of buying the largest pork butt I could find I buy two small pieces (even three) and adapt these to fit into the Instant pot. This works better as I have some for the freezer now.
Then I tried cooking a bean stew. I did soak the beans overnight; old habits die hard. Bob’s your uncle and the beans were cooked. I made a dhal, filled the pot, fastened the lid, pushed a button and the dish was cooked. The best thing is there is just one pot to wash up. No dirty stove, backsplash or counter to wipe down.
Stews, curries and mushy meals were getting a bit boring, so I turned my hand to steaming puddings and veggies. I have a stack of steaming pots that fit into the Instant pot. The veggies were fine – I am not a fan of steamed veg, but they were fine.
The desserts are simply amazing. The pot produced the best cream caramel and flan I think I have ever made. All in one spot, without all the clean-up needed. I will admit that the recipes I used for the flan needed some change. I made one with cream cheese – Not a favourite!
A few more things that have worked incredibly well are soft- and hard-boiled eggs that peel like a dream; yogurt and homemade ricotta. What this wonder does not do of course is “crisp.”
The pitfalls of this pot are:
Once the ingredients have been added and the right button pushed nothing appears to happen until it comes to pressure. This takes longer the more liquid is in the pot. It is not a problem for my cooking as I tend to use very little water.
After cooking time is done, and this can be a mere 10 to 20 minutes, the pressure needs to be released. Allowing this to take place naturally takes a loooong time. One can release the pressure carefully but twisting the pressure cap, mind burnt fingers. I have learnt that unless I am in a hurry a little forethought needs to go into the meal and I therefore counter in the de-pressuring time.
I keep the prepared dish in the fridge till needed (prep in the cool of the morning) and then start the instant pot cooking while I do the end of the day things. (Shower, set table, make a salad, see to kid’s homework, make school lunches – you know, whatever is needed.)
This unexpected side of the “Instant” in the Instant Pot makes me rethink it all. And the outcome; tough meats, dried beans, chick peas do cook much quicker. One-pot cooking such as biryani are a breeze to cook in them. It is a hands-off cooking experience. There is definitely better flavour for stews as the pressure infuses the meats. Last but not least it is great not having a prolonged overheated kitchen in this tropical weather.
Oh, I have taken to cooking rice in the microwave if I am making an instant pot stew. This method has been a revelation. But that is another story. The main thing is no clean-up of the stove is needed after making a terrific evening meal.
Recipes
Lamb Biryani
Ingredients
1 cup Indian basmati rice, wash well and set aside.
Mix the following in a bowl and set aside for 30 minutes:
½ cup plain yogurt
½ cup finely chopped onion
½ cup finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped mint
1 TBL minced ginger
1 TBL minced garlic
2 tsp garam marsala
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
¼ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 seeded and minced long red pepper
Pinch cloves
Good pinch cayenne pepper
1 LB boneless lamb (shoulder or leg meat)
1 thinly sliced large onion
1 scant tsp salt
1 tsp oil of ghee
Coat onions in the salt and oil.
Method
Brown the onions spread out on a baking dish under the broiler / or in a pan / or in the Instant Pot – set aside
Pour lamb plus marinade into Instant Pot, spread it out
Sprinkle the basmati over in a uniform layer
Gently pour in 1 cup water, make sure the rice is covered by the water, do not mix
Clip on and lock the Instant Pot lid in place
Select pressure to high and cook for 6 minutes
Allow pressure to release naturally.
Serve topped with browned onions and fresh chopped cilantro
Crème Caramel / Flan – I have been trying various recipes for creme caramel. Some we like, some not as much. Some of the recipes call for milk/cream/evaporated milk/condensed milk and or cream cheese along with the sugar, eggs and vanilla. All of them have a browned sugar caramel base. The cream cheese recipe was the least liked of them all.
Ingredients
1⁄2 cup white sugar
2 TBL water
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1⁄4 cup white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 pinch salt
3 extra large eggs
Method
Heat 1/2 cup sugar and water in a small, heavy saucepan without stirring, but swirling occasionally, until dark golden brown
Carefully pour the hot caramel syrup into an appropriate size glass baking dish that will fit into the Instant Pot. Set aside to cool
Heat milk and cream in a saucepan.
Add 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla and salt
Stir until sugar is completely dissolved, set aside to cool
Beat eggs and beat into cooled milk
Pour custard through a fine mesh strainer into the caramel filled dish
Tightly cover the dish with aluminium foil
Pour 1 cup water into the Instant Pot and put the trivate that comes with the pot on the bottom
Place covered dish on the trivate
Lock the lid in place
Push the steam button and time it for 12 – 15 mins
Allow pressure to release naturally, about 15 minutes
Remove dish and set aside to cool
Refrigerate for at a couple hours or overnight
To unmould, run a knife around the edge of the dish, carefully invert onto a rimmed serving plate
