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Home » Instant Pot Recipes » Instant Pot Basics

Published: Aug 19, 2019 · Modified: May 1, 2025 by chhavi

Instant Pot Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Instant Pot Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)- In this post I will try and answer a number of instant pot related questions.Especially related to Indian food.

This is part 4 of Indian IP series

Part 1: Instant Pot for Indian Cooking

Part 2: Which Instant Pot Model to buy

Part 3: Making Indian Food in Instant Pot

Part 4: Instant Pot Frequently Asked Questions

I use the 6 qts DUO Instant Pot and all my recipes are tested on the same.
Here are a few quick need to knows while using an Instant Pot.

Common FAQs on Instant Pot

Is instant pot dishwasher safe?

Yes it is. Stainless steel inner pot, the lid, the sealing ring, and the steam rack are all Dishwasher safe.The cooker base(the heating element) is not dishwasher safe.

How to Clean Instant Pot

Here is a detailed post by Jille on how to clean instant pot.

How to Deodorise Instant Pot Sealing Ring

Steam the instant pot with 2 cups of water,1 cup of white vinegar for 2 minutes.Here is a more detailed post in it.

What is Quick Release(QR)

When you release the pressure valve, as soon as the cooking time is up, its called Quick Release or QR.This releases hot steam, so make sure you are careful while doing it.

What is Natural Release(NR)

You open the pot only after the pressure in the IP is released on it's own. This could vary depending on the Pressure setting, amount of food, size of the pot.

What is XNPR(10NPR)

Let the pressure release naturally for X minutes after which you Quick Release the pressure.Example 10 NPR- quick release the pressure after 10 minutes of natural release.

Can instant pot deep fry?

No.It is not advisable to use instant pot for frying.

What does it mean, when instant pot says burn

If the food starts burning this notice pops up on the instant pot and cuts off any further cooking. This message can also come if you have used the SAUTE setting before and not deglazed the pan.or if you use a bigger 8 qts pot.The minimum requirement of the liquid changes and hence you could potentially get it while using it. To solve this, add about ¼ cup of more water than the recipe calls for.
While using certain sauces like tomato sauce or cheese sauces, you may get burn message because they are more viscous than water and burn easily.To solve this, again add ¼ cup of water to the bottom of the pot first, then add the sauce and proceed with the rest of the recipe. You could also use pot in pot method for these recipes.

Will instant pot keep cooking on burn

No.Instant Pot will not be able to come to pressure after the burn message.

What is the Minimum Liquid Requirement

There is a minimum liquid requirement for most instant pots. For a 6 qts IP - 1 cup is the minimum liquid required as per the manufacturer.

can instant pot explode?

No.Instant Pot is a very safe pressure cooker with 10 proven safety mechanisms.

What not to do in Instant Pot

-Use Instant Pot without any liquid in the pot.
-Open the lid without the releasing the pressure first.
-Keep the Instant pot on the stove- there have been a lot of instances where the instant pot has gotten burnt from the bottom on accident.
-Dump food in the instant pot without the inner pot.
-Fill the pressure cooker up till the brim.

More Instant Pot Basics

  • Instant Pot Vegetable Stock - Homemade Broth
  • chicken fajitas on top of a toasted tortilla with smashed avocado
    EASY JUICY Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
  • Instant Pot Basmati Rice -Perfect Indian White Rice
  • How to Steam Broccoli in Instant Pot

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  1. lina says

    January 19, 2021 at 7:09 am

    Hi Chhavi,
    Where can one buy an Instapot in India, for a small family of 2 -4? Do they offer after-sales service in India? Thanks for your time. 🙂

    Reply
    • chhavi says

      January 19, 2021 at 10:58 pm

      Hey Lina,
      Instant pot is available on amazon.
      You can either buy the 5.7 liters 7 in 1 duo model.
      I am unsure about after sales service, I don't think its available yet.

      Reply
      • lina says

        January 20, 2021 at 12:27 am

        Thank you. That is a pretty quick reply. You are right about the after-sales service. Neither Cloudtail nor Instapot.in (the website is still under construction at this time of writing ) seem to respond to complaints and or requests for after-sales service queries.

        Reply
        • chhavi says

          January 20, 2021 at 6:11 am

          yes..true...

          Reply

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