I've got a new pressure cooker that I was given and I want to use it to make soups in less time. I normally make lentil soup but it takes me about 45 minutes in a regular pot. How long should I cook it in the pressure cooker? Should I use cold or hot water from the start?
With a pressure cooker you're looking at about 15-20 minutes max, depending on how soft you want the lentils! Put the cold water in from the start with the lentils, onion, carrot and whatever else you're using, because that way everything cooks together and the flavors mix better. Once it reaches pressure (when it starts releasing steam), let it go for that time I mentioned and you're done. The only thing is be careful when you open the pot after, wait for the pressure to come down naturally or use the valve carefully!
What nobody mentions is that if you peel the lentils before putting them in the pot, they cook almost twice as fast and the soup turns out creamier because they break down better. Starting with cold water is fine, but for me it works to just put everything at maximum pressure for 10-12 minutes and you're done, no need to wait for steam to build up.
The trick that works best is letting the pressure cooker come up to pressure with everything raw inside, without preheating anything. Throw in the lentils unwashed (or washed but dry), cold water, onion, carrot, and whatever else you're using, and let it build up on its own. Once it whistles or shows pressure, time it for 8 to 12 minutes depending on whether your lentils are the quick kind or tougher ones. The important thing is not to use hot water or do anything fancy - the pressure does all the work and the soup comes out just as tasty as if you'd simmered it for 45 minutes.
After the 12 minutes, let the pressure come down naturally (don't force it) and you're done. If the soup turns out too thin or the lentils aren't quite soft enough for you, you can let it go another 2 - 3 minutes without pressure, just boiling normally. Some people say peeling the lentils beforehand speeds things up even more, but honestly for me it's not worth the hassle - the difference is minimal and besides, a lot of times the soup needs to spend a bit more time on the heat anyway so the flavors can blend properly. The pressure cooker already saves you plenty of time, so don't overcomplicate it.
Don't preheat the water or do anything separately; throw everything in raw together in the pot. People sometimes think they need to sauté first or heat the water, but with a pressure cooker it's not necessary and just wastes time. Cold water, lentils, vegetables and broth straight in, and let the pot do its thing.
Once it reaches pressure, you need between 12 and 18 minutes depending on how soft you want the soup. If you like it brothier and the lentils whole, 12 minutes. If you prefer them more broken down and creamy, 15-18. The good thing is the difference between one type of lentil and another isn't as big as in a regular pot, so don't stress too much about it.
The trick nobody mentioned is letting it depressurize naturally at the end, without opening the valve quickly. If you release the pressure fast, all the lentils break apart and the soup loses texture. Wait 5 or 10 minutes for it to come down on its own, open it calmly, and if you want it thicker give it another 2 minutes of cooking with the lid off. With the new pot you're gonna see that 45 minutes easily turns into less than half an hour total.
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