Quick answers before you raise a ticket.

Fill it up to two thirds (2/3) of the body for most foods. For foods that swell or foam, such as rice, dal, beans and chickpeas, fill only up to half (1/2).

Too much food can block the vent and stop the cooker from working safely. See the picture on the Use & Care page.

Spend a minute on these checks every time.

• Vent tube: the small pipe under the weight. Hold the lid up to the light or blow through it. It must be clear.
• Gasket: soft, undamaged and sitting evenly in the lid.
• Weight and safety valve: clean, in place and not blocked.

There is a tick-box checklist on the Use & Care page.

Add the liquid your recipe asks for. A pressure cooker needs liquid to make steam. Never heat the cooker empty, and never cook with too little liquid. Food can burn and the cooker can be damaged.

It depends on the food, the quantity, your cooker size and your flame. Use the recipes as a starting point. After the first whistle, lower the flame to medium or low.

Switch off the flame and let the pressure fall on its own. Open the lid only when the steam has stopped completely and the lid turns easily. Open it away from your face.

If the lid does not move easily, there is still pressure inside. Wait, and never force it.

Only the induction compatible models. We make induction compatible cookers in 2, 3 and 5 litres, in the Deluxe series and in the black hard anodised VARAHA CHOICE series. Our other models, including the Classic series and the pan type cookers, are for gas stoves and will not work on induction.

Not sure about yours? Check the base and the box, or contact us with your model.

Foods that foam or swell, like these, can block the vent. Cook them with the lid off, or follow a recipe made for pressure cookers. Our rice kheer recipe, for example, cooks the rice under pressure and adds the milk afterwards.

Switch off, let the pressure fall fully and open the cooker. Then check these:

• The gasket is dirty or not sitting evenly. Wash it and the groove in the lid, then seat it again.
• The gasket is hard, stretched or cracked. Replace it.
• The lid is not fully closed. Close it until it locks, with the handles lined up.
• The cooker is overfilled. Stay within 2/3 (1/2 for rice and dal).

Still leaking? Raise a ticket and attach a photo.

Some steam and a hiss at the start is normal. If heavy steam keeps coming out, lower the flame after the first whistle. If it continues, the vent tube may be blocked or the weight may be dirty. Switch off, let the pressure fall, then clean both.

The gasket release system lets steam out if pressure builds up too much. This usually happens when the vent tube is blocked, the cooker is overfilled, or a foamy food was cooked.

Switch off and stay clear. Wait until the pressure has dropped completely, then open the cooker, clean the vent tube and check the gasket. Replace the gasket if it is damaged. If it keeps happening, raise a ticket.

The safety valve opens only when the pressure gets too high. Switch off and move away safely. Wait until the pressure has dropped fully, then open the cooker and clean the vent tube. Replace the safety valve before you use the cooker again. Never block the valve.

There is probably still pressure inside. Switch off and wait. Do not force the lid or use tools to pry it. If it is still stuck after the cooker has cooled fully, raise a ticket.

This is usually too little liquid, or a flame that stayed too high after the first whistle. Add the liquid the recipe asks for, lower the flame after the first whistle, and keep the flame under the base of the cooker.

This is usually from hard water, strong detergent or a dishwasher, and is a cosmetic change. To brighten it, boil water with a lemon peel or a little tamarind in the cooker, then wash as usual. Avoid the dishwasher and washing soda.

After each use, wash the body and lid by hand with mild liquid soap and a soft scrubber. Take out the gasket and wash it. Clean the vent tube with a thin pin or brush, and rinse the weight and safety valve. Dry everything well. Avoid the dishwasher and steel wool.

With regular use, about every 12 to 18 months. Replace it sooner if it turns hard, cracks, stretches, becomes loose, or if steam leaks from the lid. Check your cooker’s instruction manual as well.

Dry it completely and store it with the lid placed upside down on the body, not locked shut. This keeps the gasket in shape and stops smells building up.

They are stamped on the base of the cooker, together with the capacity. Have them ready, along with your purchase invoice, when you raise a ticket.

Use the Support page and tell us your cooker model and litre size. These parts are made to be easy to replace. Please use only parts made for your Varaha cooker.