It did my heart good to read a new review of Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure posted recently on Amazon. The reviewer really captures so much of what I tried to accomplish in writing it, and she also points out rightly that the book is actually vegan! You may not believe it, but when the book was published over 15 years ago, no one knew what the word “vegan” meant!
I’m glad the reviewer especially liked the Thai chickpea recipe. It’s one of my favorites. And I agree that the creamy texture of pressure-cooked chickpeas is really sublime.
Here’s the review: I had never used a pressure cooker before buying this book so I was a little scared to try it out. Sass explained everything so clearly that I was able to use the pressure cooker with no problem even on the first attempt. Every recipe I have tried has been sooooo delicious. She definitely has a way with spices and flavor combinations. As other reviewers have said, the recipes just work, without the need to tweak. I’ve tried several, but my favorites so far are the Thai Chickpeas and the Paella. I am never using canned chickpeas again, the texture is so creamy from the pressure cooker. And there are soooo many recipes that I can’t wait to try. Sometimes when you open a new cookbook you only find 5 or so recipes that you would actually attempt – almost all of the recipes in this book are appealing to me.
Also, the recipes are actually vegan, not just vegetarian (except for a few that have the option of parmesan). I love that it doesn’t require a lot of vegan fake meats or cheese, but is real, whole foods. I can’t wait to get my hands on her other vegan cookbook!
PRESSURE COOKING WITH LORNA SASS 
I want a pressure cooker now! I used one to make beans once without soaking them first. Perfectly tender at 10 or 15 minutes! IT WAS SO COOL!
By: chelsarrr on December 22, 2011
at 7:40 PM
Maybe Santa will bring you one? Hope so!
By: lornasass on December 22, 2011
at 7:54 PM
I totally agree! I bought a pc a couple of months ago, first one ever, along with this great cookbook. The last recipe I made was four days ago, the quinoa corn chili. It was so, so good, that I’ll be making the quinoa recipe which follows.
Lorna, your cookbook is so well written and easy to comprehend. No stones left unturned when explaining the how-to’s.
Thank you, so much!
By: Thomas Robison on December 22, 2011
at 10:40 PM
You are so welcome! TX for letting me know.
By: lornasass on December 24, 2011
at 1:26 PM
This is great! Inspiring. Just came back from India where everyone is all about the pressure cooker. I used it all my life, but didn’t know about you. Yes! You rock!
By: MeroCocinero on December 26, 2011
at 10:33 PM
TX Mero! Guess what? I got started with pressure cooking when my mom brought a cooker back from her trip to India! Happy cooking! Lorna
By: lornasass on December 27, 2011
at 12:42 PM
Lorna, I need to loose about 150 lbs so im trying to avoid any added oils….alot of your recipes call for roasting whole seeds of spice in oil till they pop. is there away around useing the oil in these recipes ?
By: Phil on December 27, 2011
at 10:48 PM
Hi Phil: you can dry-toast the seeds in a heavy cast-iron pan. Take care to keep them moving and pour them right out of the pot if there is any suggestion of burning. Good luck with your weight-loss plan! I’ll be routing for you!
By: lornasass on December 27, 2011
at 10:51 PM
I got a pressure cooker and this cookbook for Christmas and I’m in heaven! I made the Potatoes Paprikash on Christmas morning and they were a big hit! I can’t wait to work my way through the book. I have a number of food intolerances (wheat, corn, dairy) and I’m a vegetarian, so I live on beans and rice. I was nervous about pressure cookers, too, but I’m having so much fun experimenting and your book definitely helped me feel ready to jump in with both feet!
By: Megan on January 1, 2012
at 9:21 AM
Hi Lorna,
I actually wrote that review! And it does my heart good to know that you read it and enjoyed it. Unfortunately , my cooktop broke on Christmas, so I haven’t been able to use my pressure cooker in weeks! My new cooktop arrives on Friday and I have actually been anxiously awaiting the installation so that I can try more of your recipes. In the meantime I received your Short Cut Vegan cookbook (Christmas gift I requested and received!) and have made several recipes out of it on the cooktop on our outdoor grill. Since I was cooking outside in the winter, they had to be fast! I loved Chickpea Curry in a Hurry, and actually just heated up leftovers for lunch at work before I sat and found you blog on the computer. I really want to thank you for your work in creating these cookbooks. It is not often that a cookbook actually inspires you to cook. I have two young children (4 and 1) and work full time, so I have limited time to get dinner on the table. Learning how to use the pressure cooker was literally life changing for me. I can make real, whole food quicker than I ever thought possible. I am actually excited to get home from work and try new recipes from your books. Thank you!
Diane
By: Diane on January 9, 2012
at 1:55 PM
I have had this cookbook for years and still refer to it on a weekly basis. It is wonderful and has given me a lot of insight into food. We now live in Morocco where pressure cookers are used everyday. I love the potato soup recipe with the use of rosemary–delish! I also use your homemade curry recipe and your coconut milk recipe. Thank you so much for this quality work.
By: Alicia on May 15, 2012
at 12:32 PM
Thanks so much, Alicia, for taking the time to appreciate my work. And how exciting that you are living in Morocco. I’ll bet you’ll be picking up some wonderful pc recipes there. Happy cooking! Lorna
By: lornasass on May 15, 2012
at 12:45 PM
Lorna, I have just discovered your book and I echo all the things said here. It is a fantastic book – thanks to you I use my PC almost everyday now.
By: Daisy on June 24, 2013
at 2:37 PM
Tx for your kind words, Daisy, and I’m thrilled that you were able to get my book in the UK.
Happy cooking! Lorna
By: lornasass on June 24, 2013
at 11:36 PM
I can’t say enough great things about this book. Your recipes really demonstrate the fact that meals prepared with carefully selected, simple ingredients can yield results as delicious as any labor-intensive, mile-long ingredient list meal. Your PC advice has been invaluable.
By: misscruciferous on July 20, 2013
at 9:50 AM
Good book. Do you plan to revise and re-title it like Short-Cut Vegan?
I was not able to find the 1-quart bundt pan you specified for your pudding-cakes. The store you recommended did not seem to have them online. Is this pan one quart when filled to the top, or does it hold one quart of batter, which I’m guessing would be a 6-cup pan?
Also, how would you adjust the cooking time if you divided the pudding-cake into two or four smaller pans? I found some 4 1/2″ mini-angel food pans that hold 1.25 cups each. Would it work to use four of these, and if so, how long should they cook?
Any tips on where to purchase the pans, or what size in inches they would be (for the 1-quart and 2 cup sizes), would be appreciated.
Looking forward to trying the recipes.
By: M D on June 12, 2014
at 5:43 PM
This is exactly the bundt pan I have in mind: http://www.amazon.com/Bundt-Cake-Pan-Diameter-Capacity/dp/B002WBTJ6Q
By: lornasass on June 18, 2014
at 10:53 AM