How to get the most out of your Cook4Me+ Pressure Cooker

Cook4Me+ is a multicooker and pressure cooker in one and it will be your cooking hero in the kitchen! Pressure cooking allows you to cook food faster than traditional cooking and it is ideal for stews, casseroles, soups and risotto. Spend less time cooking and more time with your family. Here are some top tips to help you have a great cooking experience with the Cook4Me+:

1. Brown it. Sear it.

Brown your aromatics (garlic, onions, ginger etc) and/or sear your meat before pressure cooking. You can choose to skip this step if you are short on time but browning will definitely add color and so much rich flavour to your dish.

2. Thicken it.

Pressure cookers work by retaining the liquid inside while cooking to raise the internal temperature for faster cooking and that means liquid does not evaporate like traditional cooking. It is normal for the sauce to be too liquid after pressure cooking. To make the sauce thicker, after pressure cooking, use the Simmer or Gentle Cook Function until the sauce reduces to your desired consistency or thicken it by adding a mixture of cornflour and water. Any milk or cream in the recipe should be added after pressure cooking as it will froth or curdle under pressure.

3. Cut it evenly.

As with all cooking, food should be cut into even pieces for even cooking. This will ensure that the food is cooked at the same time. Another helpful tip to keep in mind is to add faster cooking ingredients towards the end of cooking to avoid overcooking. You can either put ingredients in the pot after pressure cooking and keep the lid closed for a few minutes or even putting it back on pressure cooking for a couple of minutes depending on the ingredient you are adding.

4. Don’t overfill.

Make sure to follow the maximum filling level to avoid food leaking out from the steam valve. Some foods such as rice tend to expand and froth during cooking so the pot should not be filled more than half full including the liquid.

5. Give it a good stir.

Once all the ingredients are in the pot and before starting your pressure cooking, give it a good stir. There should be a minimum 200ml liquid in the pot for pressure cooking and the liquid must be “thin” enough to come to a boil. If you have enough liquid in the pot and you are getting an error saying there is not enough liquid, try to give it a good stir or add a little more liquid if too thick (we recommend 50-100ml at a time). Stirring is a key as the sensor is found at the base of the pot.

Happy cooking and bon appetit!