Steaming Simplified: Instant Pot Techniques And Tricks

Steaming in an Instant Pot is a quick and easy way to cook food while retaining its nutrients. The Instant Pot can be used to steam a wide variety of foods, including vegetables, chicken, fish, potatoes, eggs, and fruits. Here are the steps to steam in an Instant Pot:

- Add 1 to 2 cups of water to the Instant Pot.

- Place a trivet or steam basket in the pot.

- Put the food you want to steam inside the basket or on top of the trivet.

- Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure the vent is in the sealing position.

- Press the Steam button and adjust the cooking time as needed.

- When the beep sounds, manually release the pressure by switching the vent to the venting position.

- Open the lid and remove the steam basket.

How much water to add to your pressure cooker

The amount of water you add to your pressure cooker depends on the ingredients you are cooking and the size of your cooker.

Minimum Liquid Requirement

Every pressure cooker needs a minimum amount of liquid to generate enough steam to pressurize the cooker. The minimum amount of liquid required will depend on the size of the pressure cooker, the type of pressure valve, and the cooking time.

A larger pressure cooker will need more steam to pressurize and will also need more liquid to boil and generate that steam. Some pressure valves vent by function or design. While a spring valve releases little or no steam to keep a cooker at pressure, a weight-modified or jiggler-type valve must release pressure and steam rhythmically to maintain a set pressure. The extra venting means that a longer cooking time will evaporate more liquid, and the cooker will require more to keep it from running dry.

Some pressure cookers have a "min" line etched inside the cooker to indicate the minimum food and liquid requirement. Refer to your pressure cooker's manual to find its minimum requirement.

Maximum Capacity

There are two maximum pressure cooker capacities and they depend on the ingredients being used. Pressure cookers should be filled to a maximum of half when cooking beans, rice, grains, and dehydrated foods, and two-thirds full for everything else.

Beans, rice, grains, and dehydrated foods expand during cooking or generate lots of foam. Beans can swell to twice their size during cooking, and some grains, even more. They also generate lots of foam and bubbles that can climb up the sides of the cooker and spray out of the valves, plugging them up.

For foods that don't generally expand during cooking or generate foam, such as meats, vegetables, soups, and stocks, the pressure cooker can be filled to two-thirds full.

If your recipe includes a mix of ingredients, such as a soup with vegetables and beans, you can fill the cooker up to two-thirds full. However, if you are cooking only one primary ingredient, such as a bean chili, fill the cooker to a maximum of half full.

Examples of Minimum and Maximum Capacity

• A 4-quart pressure cooker typically has a minimum liquid requirement of 1.5 cups and can be filled to a maximum of 2 quarts (or 8 cups) for beans, rice, grains, and dehydrated foods, or 2.6 quarts (or 10.5 cups) for other foods.
• A 6-quart pressure cooker usually has a minimum liquid requirement of 2 cups and can be filled to a maximum of 3 quarts (or 12 cups) for beans, rice, grains, and dehydrated foods, or 4 quarts (or 16 cups) for other foods.
• An 8-quart pressure cooker generally has a minimum liquid requirement of 2.5 cups and can be filled to a maximum of 4 quarts (or 16 cups) for beans, rice, grains, and dehydrated foods, or 5.3 quarts (or 21 cups) for other foods.

Tips for Steaming in an IAIQ Pressure Cooker

The IAIQ pressure cooker is a 6-quart electric pressure cooker with 13 one-touch cooking programs, a 24-hour delay start timer, a slow cook timer for up to 20 hours, 6 pressure settings, and an automatic Keep Warm function that can keep food warm for up to 24 hours.

• Use the pressure cooker function to tenderize meat quickly.
• Use the steam function to cook vegetables to perfection.
• Use the rice cooker function to prepare fluffy rice as an easy side dish.
• The lid is removable for easy cleaning.
• The cooker comes with a stainless steel pot, a measuring cup, 2 spatulas, and a steamer rack.

Happy cooking!

The benefits of steaming with an Instant Pot

The Instant Pot is a versatile kitchen appliance that can be used for a variety of cooking functions, including steaming. Here are some benefits of using an Instant Pot for steaming:

• Speed and convenience: The Instant Pot is a quick and convenient way to steam food, retaining nutrients and flavour. While it takes time to build pressure, it is hands-off once the food is in the pot, and there is no need to closely supervise the cooking process as with traditional stovetop steaming.
• Capacity: The Instant Pot can steam large quantities of food in one go, making it ideal for batch cooking or preparing meals for a big family.
• Minimal dish washing: The same inner pot can be used for steaming and other cooking functions, reducing the number of dishes to wash.
• No fancy gadgets needed: A simple colander or steamer basket that fits inside the Instant Pot is all that is required for steaming.
• Minimal babysitting: With the use of a kitchen timer and a transparent glass lid, it is easy to gauge when your food is ready, reducing the risk of overcooking.
• Versatility: The Instant Pot can steam a wide variety of foods, including vegetables, fruits, chicken, fish, potatoes, eggs, and dumplings. It is particularly well-suited for steaming foods that tend to fall apart when overcooked, such as fish and potatoes.
• Safety: Unlike traditional stovetop pressure cookers, the Instant Pot has safety features such as a lid that locks until the pressure is released, eliminating safety concerns.
• Easy to use: The Instant Pot has preset functions, including a Steam function, that make it easy to use, even for beginners. The Steam function is set to low pressure for 10 minutes by default, which is ideal for most steamed dishes. The time can be adjusted as needed, and the pressure can be released manually or naturally.

How to steam without a steamer basket

Steaming is a moist-heat cooking method that involves boiling water evaporating into steam. The steam, along with the food being cooked, is trapped in a pot with a tight-fitting lid, creating a hot environment to cook the food. While steamers come in various shapes and sizes, you can still steam vegetables and proteins without a steamer basket. Here are some ways to achieve the perfect steam without a steamer basket:

Using a Heatproof Plate and Aluminium Foil

Take three sheets of aluminium foil and roll them into balls the size of baseballs or golf balls. Place them at the bottom of a large pot and pour in about an inch of water. Then, rest a heatproof plate on top of the foil balls and add the food you want to steam. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and start steaming. This method creates a DIY steamer basket and results in crisp vegetables and creamy potatoes.

Using an Elevated Wire Cooling Rack

An elevated wire cooling rack can be used in place of a steamer basket. Add an inch of water to a pot with a tight-fitting lid, place the wire cooling rack in the pan, and put the food on top of the rack. Close the lid and steam until your food reaches the desired doneness. Ensure that the cooling rack doesn't have large spaces to prevent your food from falling into the water.

Using a Disposable Aluminium Pie Pan

You can purchase disposable aluminium pie pans from most grocery stores. Poke several holes into the bottom of the pan and place it upside down into a pot filled with about an inch of water. Put the food on top of the inverted pan. The edges of the pan will create a distance between the water and the food, and the flat surface will support the food.

Steaming in the Microwave

This method is suitable for steaming vegetables. Place your food in a bowl, add a few tablespoons of water, and cover the bowl tightly with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Ensure the plastic wrap doesn't touch the food. Microwave for 4-6 minutes until the food is fork-tender.

Building a Pie Tin Steamer

You can create a steamer using two reusable aluminium pie tins. Poke 12-16 holes in the base of both pie tins. Use a rolling pin to flatten one of the pie tins, and place it upside down in a pot with a little water. Rest the flattened tin on top of the first, and place your food on it.

How to steam with a steamer basket

The IAIQ pressure cooker comes with a steamer rack, which can be used to steam a variety of foods. Here is a general guide on how to steam with a steamer basket:

First, select a steamer basket that fits well into your chosen pan. Steamer baskets are usually made of metal, silicone, or bamboo, and they fit neatly into the top of a pot or saucepan of boiling water. The IAIQ pressure cooker comes with a stainless steel pot, so you can choose a steamer basket that fits this pot.

Next, fill the pot with about an inch or two of water, ensuring there is enough space between the water and the steamer basket. You can also use stock instead of water for added flavour.

Place the steamer basket into the pot, then bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, add your chosen food to the basket in a single layer. Try to cut your food into evenly sized pieces to ensure they cook at a consistent rate. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Avoid opening the lid while your food is cooking, as this allows steam to escape and can impact the cooking process. Always use an oven mitt when removing the lid, as the steam can cause burns.

When it comes to choosing foods to steam, vegetables, starches, seafood, dumplings, buns, and eggs are all great options. Steaming is a gentle and healthy cooking method that preserves the flavours and textures of your ingredients.

Remember to clean and dry your steamer basket after each use to ensure it lasts a long time. Stainless steel and silicone steamer baskets are usually dishwasher-safe, while bamboo baskets should be hand-washed with warm soapy water and air-dried completely before storing.

How to steam Idlis in an Instant Pot

Here's how to steam Idlis in an Instant Pot:

Firstly, if your Idli batter is in the fridge, allow it to come to room temperature. Next, insert the inner pot into the Instant Pot and add 1 to 1.5 cups of water. Plug in the Instant Pot, press the SAUTE MODE-NORMAL function and set the timer for 6 minutes.

While the water is heating up, grease your Idli plates with sesame oil or ghee. Fill each groove with batter until it is three-quarters full. Insert an empty Idli plate at the bottom of your Idli plate stand. Carefully stack your filled Idli plates on top of each other.

Check if the water has begun to boil. You should be able to see steam rising. When the water is ready, press CANCEL. Place the filled Idli plates into the inner pot.

Cover with a clear pot lid. If you don't have a clear pot lid, ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid. Now, close the Instant Pot with the lid.

Turn the valve to VENTING. Your valve should not be turned to SEALING. This is very important—you do not want to pressure cook your Idlis.

Start a kitchen timer for 9 minutes. For every batch of 12 Idlis, a steaming time of 9 minutes is recommended. When the 9 minutes are up, wait for the pin to drop before attempting to open the lid.

While this is happening, the pin will raise, just like it does when the Instant Pot pressure cooks. This is completely normal. As soon as the pin drops, open the lid. Wait for 2 to 3 minutes before removing the steamed Idlis from the Instant Pot.

• Always add enough water to the inner pot before steaming.
• You can steam in an electric pressure cooker without a steaming basket.
• The Instant Pot steam preset is set to 10 minutes on low pressure. You can adjust this to a maximum of 15 minutes and a minimum of 3 minutes.
• The vent should be in the SEALING position when using the steam preset mode.
• If your Instant Pot doesn't have a steam function, you can use the SAUTE function and convert the Instant Pot into a steamer.
• If you don't have a steamer basket, you can use a colander for steaming.

Frequently asked questions