Without a pressure cooker, the closest result comes from simmering in a heavy, tightly lidded ordinary pot over low heat for longer; without pressure the time stretches noticeably, but the final texture and flavour end up similar.
Why does a pressure cooker cut the time?
A pressure cooker traps steam inside and raises the pressure, which pushes water's boiling point above 100°C and lets food soften far faster than usual. Hard pulses like chickpeas or dried beans cook in 20-25 minutes under pressure, while an ordinary pot can take two or even three times as long.
The difference comes from pressure, not flame strength — turning the heat up on a regular pot won't close that gap.
How do you get close without a pressure cooker?
A heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid, simmered low and slow, gets closest to the softness a pressure cooker delivers. Soaking pulses overnight beforehand shortens the time and means less water is used up during cooking.
Some multi-function air fryers include a pressure-cooking mode that can partly stand in for a pressure cooker, but a standard air fryer basket doesn't cook under pressure — it only circulates hot air.
What should you watch out for?
When simmering in a regular pot, check the water level regularly, since the lid doesn't seal as tightly as a pressure cooker's and more steam escapes; if the water drops too low, the bottom can catch. Keep the heat very low — a hard boil evaporates water faster and can also break the food apart too much.
Patience matters here; rushing by turning the heat up when cooking without a pressure cooker can overcook the outside while leaving the inside tough.
How do you estimate the time more accurately?
Since cooking time in a regular pot can vary a lot from dish to dish, checking regularly is more reliable than guessing at a fixed time from the start; pressing a pulse between your fingers to test its softness gives a better read than watching the clock. As the water level drops, top it up with hot water rather than cold — a sudden drop in temperature can slow the cooking down.
Opening and closing the lid often during a long simmer also lets out more steam and stretches the time further, so keep checks to reasonable intervals and avoid lifting the lid unnecessarily. These small habits make cooking without a pressure cooker far more predictable.
If you have an electric multicooker, it can cook under pressure too, making it a much closer substitute than a regular pot; cooking times vary by brand and model, though, so it's worth checking at short intervals the first few times you use it.
Since the seasoning can dilute a little over the longer cooking time, it's worth tasting for salt one last time before serving.
Needing to stay near the stove instead of relying on a timer also gives you a chance to get to know the cooking process more closely.
A dish cooked patiently often ends up with a deeper flavour, which can be seen as an unexpected upside of cooking without a pressure cooker.
Comments (1)
Nohutu bir gece suda bekletmeden normal tencerede pişirmeye çalıştım, uzun süre sonra hâlâ sertti ve pes edip düdüklü ödünç aldım. Bu yöntem gerçekten çok sabır istiyor, benim mutfağımda işe yaramadı.