03_How does a Pressure Cooker Work - Mocomi Kids
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The sound of a pressure cooker may be startling,
but it is a call to you
that it is doing its job.
Yes, food will be served soon.
There are two very important things,
happening inside the chamber of a pressure cooker,
Steam and pressure.
A combination of steam and pressure
make the pressure cooker the efficient kitchen delight.
The two work together to cook things in no time.
One of the reasons we use water to cook food
is because it is a better conductor of heat than air is.
You can raise the temperature of water
to transfer its energy to the water in food,
basically, cooking it.
A pressure cooker, increases the pressure so that the
water will come to a boil higher than its regular boiling point
which is a hundred degree Celsius.
But this only half the reason why it takes so little time,
to cook food inside a pressure cooker.
The increased pressure inside the cooker
bit relief forces the heat into the food.
Think of the pressure as an invisible hand pushing
the extra hot steam into the very core of the food inside.
But if the pressure is like a crushing hand
then why doesn't the food come out all smashed.
Well, this is because the steam applies uniform pressure
to all the surfaces of the food
and that leaves the food un-smashed.
Parts of a pressure cooker,
a pressure cooker is made up of a pot,
a lid which fits precisely on the pot
with a locking mechanism,
a rubber ring that goes between the lid and the pot
so that no air can escape,
a valve on the top of the lid with a release whistle.
There are two extremely important parts in all pressure cookers.
The rubber ring that goes between the pot and the lid
ensures that no air escapes from inside the container.
If it did, then the pressure would not be able to build up
The valve on the top is a safety measure
that make sure that pressure does not build up
to dangerous levels inside the pot.
This could lead to a potentially dangerous explosion.
It is designed to allow some of the steam to escape,
after the pressure inside reaches a certain point.
And with that startling whistle
we know how much the food has been cooked.
Project
Ask your mom how long different foods
will take to cook inside a pressure cooker.
Ask her to tell you in how many whistles
not actual timing.
When she is cooking these different foods, see how long it actually takes.
Here are the names of some foods you can try,
One cup of rice,
four potatoes,
one cup of dal