'Instant Pot changed my life'! Intolerant pescatarian asks.

[Bongespobsparepants]

Could it be the best thing I ever bought? And if so should I go for the air-fryer combo version? I cook from scratch so the oven and hob are on a lot and I'd love to save on energy, and be able to leave dinner cooking unsupervised...

However, I'm gluten and lactose intolerant and a pescatarian (so few dinner invitations ) so I wouldn't benefit from the meat cooking advantages, or be able to indulge in amazing cheesecakes but I can see that faster cooking of beans and lentils would be an asset, and maybe the air-fryer version would enable me to do roast veg faster, and maybe make tofu crispy which would make it more acceptable to my mum!

Anyone with similar awkward feeding habits found it useful please?

Yes, electric pressure cookers are the bees knees. A keep warm function, delay start function, yogurt/bread proving temperature... so versatile.

Be warned, it takes a couple of goes to feel confident. Don't get hung upon the details, just dive in and let your instinct sort you out re times etc.

The time to get up to pressure isn't counted in the recipes, so leave an additional 5min (more if it's very full) for that.

www.cookwithmanali.com/recipes/

I'd really recommend this lovely blog with lots of vegetarian Instant Pot and air fryer recipes. Also lots of recipes catering for various intolerances / vegan diets.

It's a real treat if you like Indian food. Her dals are delicious and so easy to do in the IP compared to on the hob. Makes it easier to batch cook them for the freezer too!

@Huckleberries73 I am intrigued by poached eggs in the IP, they are my nemesis! How do you cook them?

OP, I have a separate IP and IP vortex air fryer which I use loads. IP also really good for dhals.

Shamelessly jumping on this thread. I've had my Instant Pot for just over a week. I'm hoping to cut our electricity bills a bit.

I've mainly used it for (parboiling) spuds, cooking rice and a quick shepherds pie.

If anybody has some good dhal recipes, I would love to give those a try.

I have both the IP and the air fryer - Love them, they get used most days. The other worthwhile piece of cooking equipment is my cast iron pot - bring the food to boiling and then switch it off, it really retains its heat.

It's the only way my husband will eat risotto! I don't use it every day, but it is good for one pot meals and batch/bulk cooking.

What’s the difference between a slow cooker and an instant pot?

@Landedonfeet

What’s the difference between a slow cooker and an instant pot?

An instant pot is a multi cooker. It can slow cook, pressure cook and other things. Some also come with an air fryer lid.

An IP is an electric pressure cooler ;so you programme it and have a timer) but you can also use it as a slow cooker (I make yoghurt in it and that takes 10 hours).

Plus mine has a dragon on the valve and it breathes steam when you do the release.

I have an IP, and was utterly dubious about ever needing it. Use it almost every day. When my DD1 moves out of home for university, I am giving it to her and upgrading. I also have the Ninja Duo air fryer which DH bought during lockdown. I thought that it would go directly into the appliance graveyard with the dehydrator and juicer, etc, but I honestly never use my oven now. I have coeliac disease and I’m on a keto diet, so not one for baking, grains or chips, but I did fabulous teriyaki salmon in the air fryer and cooked rice for the kids in the IP tonight. Easiest cleanup ever and no smell.

I bought my Instant Pot when they first appeared on Amazon UK and have since bought one to take away on self catering long breaks and leave one at my MIL's. I use it twice a day, every day.
I also have a Ninja Foodi Grill which I also use constantly but would have them separate not the 9 in l as I can be using the IP for veg and the grill for other parts of the meal.
I keep my IP on a board over the gas hob as I very rarely use the hob now except for maybe omelettes.

I had an electric pot for ages (until ‘someone’ - not me - melted the damn thing). I’d heard all the hooha about IPs and snagged one on special offer.

I use it for - soup, stock, curry, meaty stews, risotto (I prefer stove top though), some ‘throw jn and cook’ pasta, yoghurt, steamed beetroot, boiled eggs… I’ve not used it for cake or anything fancy like that but it’s bloody useful and keeps food warm too. That and the AirFryer and the things I know DS will take when he leaves!

He made lovely chicken (AirFryer) and brown rice (IP) yesterday.

[quote Stumpedasatree]@Huckleberries73 I am intrigued by poached eggs in the IP, they are my nemesis! How do you cook them?

OP, I have a separate IP and IP vortex air fryer which I use loads. IP also really good for dhals.[/quote]
I make them like this.
ifoodreal.com/instant-pot-poached-eggs/

I use a lot of cooking with Manali recipes and this one but there are so many brilliant IP and Air Fryer recipies out there now.

myheartbeets.com/category/method-cooking-style/instant-pot/

Well I ordered the Instant Pot Pro 7.6l. Decided against the version with the air fryer in case it wasn't big enough. I think the first thing I will do is some chickpeas for hummus. Wish me luck!!

Good luck. I bought myself a steamer insert and a glass vented lid for slowcooking.

DH remarked that tonight was the first time i'd used the oven in a while!

Please can I have an update on your choices, can't decide which Ninja to get - one of the three Ninja Foodi Health Grill & Air Fryer or one of the Ninja dual ones?

Trying to reduce using the oven for our small family and lower wattage would be great? - eat a lot of baked potatoes and it costs too much to use the big oven.

Am a gluten free fish eater too and crispy grilled fish skin would be great.

Already have a small slow cooker and a stove top pressure cooker.

The Flip Mini Oven also looks good, too many choices, I have been without an airfryer for years now due to my dithering.

@DonNotKeith

Please can I have an update on your choices, can't decide which Ninja to get - one of the three Ninja Foodi Health Grill & Air Fryer or one of the Ninja dual ones?

Trying to reduce using the oven for our small family and lower wattage would be great? - eat a lot of baked potatoes and it costs too much to use the big oven.

Am a gluten free fish eater too and crispy grilled fish skin would be great.

Already have a small slow cooker and a stove top pressure cooker.

The Flip Mini Oven also looks good, too many choices, I have been without an airfryer for years now due to my dithering.

This is the one I bought as it has just 1 cooking compartment. I looked at the oven but don't have the room for it so settled for the foodi grill. Jacket potatoes are brilliant in it - there are only 2 of us so I fill the space and keep the others in the fridge to reheat another day (and it works)

www.johnlewis.com/ninja-foodi-ag301uk-5-in-1-health-grill-air-fryer/p4849129

Am I the only one intrigued by @redpandaalert's recipe for baked pirates?

I have an instant pot and a separate airfryer (bought first) and they both get lots of use in a pescatarian family. The switch on and walk away feature is the key attraction.

You need to be a little careful with most fish as it can overcook very easily in the pot - when I make salmon risotto I either use frozen salmon or chop the salmon quite small and stir into the hot rice after pressure release (with butter, parmesan and frozen peas) while on keep warm. Pressure cooker biryani or butter curry (with tofu or paneer) is also great. Using dried pulses without having to presoak is really handy. The airfryer is good too, it mostly gets used for chips and finishing off jacket potatoes (started in the microwave).

The Instant Pot UK community is great for recipes and tips.

Mine arrived yesterday, 2nd hand off ebay. It's huge! A 7.6l one. I made an amazing tomato sauce in it yesterday, tasted like it had been simmering all day.
It's too big for the cupboard though!