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If there is one kitchen situation that tests patience instantly, it is dal boiling over in the pressure cooker. You step away for a minute and suddenly the lid is...
If there is one kitchen situation that tests patience instantly, it is dal boiling over in the pressure cooker. You step away for a minute and suddenly the lid is messy, the stove is splattered, and the kitchen smells like burnt lentils. What should have been a simple everyday meal turns into an unnecessary clean up job.
Most Indian kitchens deal with this problem regularly. Dal, rajma, chole and even soups have a habit of frothing up and escaping the cooker the moment the heat rises. Turning the flame low helps sometimes, but not always. Constantly standing near the stove is not realistic either.
Thankfully, there is a simple pressure cooker hack that actually works and requires no extra effort.
When dal cooks, starch and proteins release foam as the water heats up. In a pressure cooker, this foam rises quickly and pushes its way towards the whistle. Once it reaches the top, it spills out, coating the lid and stove with sticky residue.
This is why dal spillover is so common, even when the cooker is not overfilled. Understanding this makes the solution surprisingly logical.
Before closing the pressure cooker lid, place a small steel bowl inside the cooker, directly over the dal. That is all.
As the dal boils, the foam rises and hits the steel bowl first. This breaks the froth and prevents it from reaching the lid. The pressure builds normally, the dal cooks evenly, and the mess stays away.
This kitchen hack works especially well for cooking dal, lentils, chickpeas, rajma and even soups that tend to froth.
The steel bowl acts as a barrier. It interrupts the upward movement of foam without affecting pressure or cooking time. Since steel heats quickly, it does not interfere with the cooking process. Instead, it keeps everything controlled and contained inside the cooker.
It is a small step that saves time, effort and frustration every single day.
This pressure cooker hack is perfect for busy mornings and weeknight cooking. No wiping the lid after every whistle. No scrubbing the stove once the dal is done. Just clean cooking with less stress.
It is one of those small kitchen tips that once tried, becomes a permanent habit.
Sometimes, seeing it once makes all the difference.
Watch the full kitchen hack video on CURRYiT’s Instagram and YouTube.
Follow @curryit.in for more easy kitchen hacks, everyday cooking tips and smart solutions that make home cooking simpler.
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