Title of Invention	A COOKING UTENSIL FOR STEAM COOKING SUCH FOODS AS IDLIS
Abstract	This invention provides a cooking utensil for steam cooking such foods such foods as ‘idlis’ (a south Indian dish) comprising fa vessel shaped hollow body with a lid and having seating within for the food to be steam cooked and provided with a holed connector as its base for fitting on to the open narrow valve port of a pressure cooker.

Full Text

This invention relates to a cooking utensil for steam cooking such foods as "idlis" (a south Indian dish). A variety of steam cooked foods including those other dishes made by steam cooking grain powder pastes can also be processed in this utensil. The "idli" cookers of the prior art comprise of a vessel with a lid (mis may also be a pressure cooker) for taking the water to be boiled and a few perforated discs with recessed portions for holding the powder paste (the batter) to be steam cooked. Means for holding the said discs in the horizontal plane within the vessel above the water is also provided. Trays are also usually provided in these "idli" cookers for cooking other foods (including the other dishes made from grain powder pastes). The disadvantages of cooking with such an "idli" cooker are that every time the stove has to be turned off and the lid of the vessel opened for removing the trays containing the cooked "idlis" from the vessel and also that the hot water within the vessel is dangerous when the operator opens the lid of the cooker. Also there is the problem of the "idlis" being wet by the condensed steam that falls down from the lid. Attempts have been made in the prior art for providing a steaming chamber over the lower steam-generating chamber to overcome these disadvantages of "idli" cookers. Thus Indian specification No.69296 makes mention of such a device. But the ubiquitous pressure cooker is potentially a safe and efficient closed steam-generating chamber within the kitchen for the housewife. Attempts have been made in the prior art to tap this efficient and vigorous source of steam within the kitchen. Thus a "puttu" cooker having a tubular body with a nozzle provided at the base of the tubular body for fitting on to the open narrow valve port of a pressure cooker (without its valve weight) and a perforated small sized disc for closing the lower opening of the said tubular body above the said nozzle has been already developed. The "puttu" (a south Indian dish) is expressed out from the said tubular body by pushing on this disc with a rod through the said nozzle. This cooking utensil for cooking "puttu" has gained popularity in recent times. The services of an external steam generating chamber provided by the pressure cooker are however not available so far for the steam cooking of foods using batter or dough as in the case of "idlis". The batter would flow out if placed on plain metal discs and a tray or a plate with recessed portions is necessary for holding the batter for steam cooking. The new "puttu" cooker having the nozzle at its base is provided with an additional inverted cup shaped base plate that provides a seat extending below the said nozzle of the utensil. This additional base fitting considerably increases the size and the cost if fitted on to the larger steam cooking utensils. The object of this invention is to propose a safe and efficient cooking utensil for steam cooking such foods as "idlis" employing the services of a safe and powerful external steam-generating chamber provided by a pressure cooker (without its valve weight). It is also another object of this invention to provide a simple seating means for this utensil that does not interfere with its connecting function with the pressure cooker. Accordingly this invention provides a cooking utensil for steam cooking such foods as "idlis" (a south Indian dish), characterized in that it comprises of a vessel shaped hollow body (B) provided with a lid (L) for closing its upper mouth, means provided for fitting said hollow body on to the open narrow valve port of a pressure cooker through a holed connector (N) provided on the base of said hollow body, and at least one tray or plate for holding the food to be steam cooked with means provided for supporting said plate(s) or tray(s) in the horizontal plane within the said hollow body, and at least one such plate has a recessed portions) for holding the food (such as the batter for the "idli") to be steam cooked. Each disc within the "idli" cooker is usually provided with a plurality of recessed portions, at least two of said depressions having a cavity size of at least 15 ml each. For quick operation the said hollow body is push fitted on to the narrow valve port of the pressure cooker. The fitting need not be an air tight fitting as the gush of steam from the pressure cooker is sufficiently strong to enable passage of steam through the utensil even when the holed connector is not tightly provided on the narrow valve port of the pressure cooker. The holed connector is preferably a wide nozzle especially when the narrow valve port of the pressure cooker comprises an elongated nozzle (me valve weight being provided at the tip of said elongated nozzle for pressure cooking). The holed connector besides stabilizing the utensil by providing accurate engagement with the nozzle shaped valve port of the pressure cooker also prevents leakage of the condensed water from the bottom of the hollow body. The holed connector usually made of brass is readily provided on the thin base of the vessel shaped hollow body just by drilling a hole and tightening with a nut. The recessed plates and trays are preferably provided on steps on the sidewall of said hollow body as this stabilizes them better than a central mounting. Handles provided on these trays or recessed plates enable their easy removal and insertion. The plates and trays are preferably perforated for the steam to pass through. The cooking utensil according to the invention is placed with its holed connector over the open narrow valve port of the pressure cooker (without the valve weight). The same utensil placed over a pressure cooker having its weight valve in position (the valve port being closed), would give rise to problems with the pressure cooking within the pressure cooker and may even result in explosions with a stuck weight valve. The seating of the utensil on the lid of the pressure cooker in such cases is also defective, as the support provided by the nozzle shaped valve port of the pressure cooker cannot be provided when the weight valve is in position. As such the base of the cooking utensil according to the invention is modified to fit on to the open narrow valve port of the pressure cooker. The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1: is the sectional elevation (a reduced diagrammatic view) of the cooking utensil according to the invention; Fig.2: is the sectional elevation of the basal part of the cooking utensil shown in Fig.l, the utensil being shown fitted on the narrow valve port of a pressure cooker (without its valve weight). As shown in the figures the cooking utensil according to the invention comprises a cup shaped hollow body B with a lid L for closing its upper mouth, the base of said hollow body being provided with a rigidly fitted wide nozzle N (die holed connector) communicating with the interior of the hollow body B, and die plate F having the recessed portions A and die tray D for holding die food to be cooked. The tray and the recessed plate are provided whh perforations P. The base of said hollow body is gripped between the threaded lower end of said nozzle N and a nut so as to fix die nozzle to the hollow body. The nozzle may also be joined to the base of the hollow body. The nozzle is provided on a recessed portion R of die base of die said hollow body so that die base of die nozzle does not project below me base of die hollow body thereby ensuring me proper seating of die utensil. The vessel shaped hollow body, die lid and me plates and days are usually made of aluminium or stainless steel and die holed connector is usually made of brass. The batter for die "idli" is usually taken in die recesses A of die plate F as mis gives me conventional accepted shape for die "idli" whereas the dough for the other foods can be taken also in die tray D. At least one such plate is provided widi a plurality of recesses A, die cavity size of at least two such recesses being at least IS ml each. The means for supporting die plates or trays in die horizontal plane widiin die hollow body B comprises of die steps such as S as shown in Fig.l. This method stabilizes die trays or plates better than die central mounting through a rod passed through die trays or plates. The tray and plate are provided with die handles Q diat enable meir easy insertion into and removal from die hollow body. For providing a good seating of die utensil on the ground the wide nozzle N projects upwards into die cavity of said hollow body. H and E are me non-conducting handles of die hollow body B and die lid L respectively. The handle H is fitted to me hollow body B dirough die metal clamp C as is the conventional practice. The batter for the "idli" is taken in the recessed portions A of the plate F and die dough for die odier foods taken in die tray D. The tray and plate are positioned on me steps S widiin the hollow body B holding on to meir handles Q. The lid L is dien fitted on die hollow body. Some water (for serving as a source of steam) is taken in a pressure cooker and its gasket and lid applied. The pressure cooker is placed on a stove and the steam starts issuing out through the narrow valve port Z of the pressure cooker. The valve weight of the pressure cooker is not to be applied. The cooking utensil is then placed on the pressure cooker with the wide nozzle N engaging with the open narrow valve port Z (without the valve weight) of the pressure cooker as shown in Fig.2. After giving some time for steam cooking (often signaled by the steam issuing between the hollow body and its lid L) the utensil is taken out from the pressure cooker (after reducing the flame of the stove), the lid L opened, and the tray and plate taken out holding on to their handles. The cooked "idlis" and other such foods are removed and the process repeated. The MdhV prepared in this utensil are cooked by pure steam and the problem of the wet "idlis" is avoided. Also the cooking would be faster than any hitherto known methods of domestic "idli" cooking. Claim: 1. A cooking utensil for steam cooking such foods as "idles" (a south Indian dish), characterized in that it comprises of a vessel shaped hollow body (B) [m)vided with a lid (L) for closing its upper means provided for fitting said hollow body on to the open narrow valve port of a pressure a holed connector (N) provided on the base of said hollow body, and at least one tray or plate for holding the food to be steam cooked with means provided for supporting said plate(s) or tray(s) in horizontal plane the said hollow body, and at least one such plate has a recessed portion(s) for holding the food (such as the batter for die to be steam cooked. 2. The cooking utensil as claimed in claim 1, at least two of said recessed portions on said plate have a cavity size of at least IS ml each. 3. The cooking utensil as in claims 1 to 2, means are provided for push fitting said hulk>w body on to die open narrow valve port of the said holed connector. 4. The cook utensil as claimed in claims 1 to 3, wherein said means for said plates or trays of steps such as (S) on the side wall of said hulky body, dimensioned to provide a seat for the said plates or trays. 5. The cooking utensil as claimed in claims I to 4, means are provided for holding said plates or trays spaced from each and from the base of said hollow body. 6. The cooking utensil as in claims 1 to 5, said tray(s) or plate(s) is provided wide a handle. 7. The cooking utensil as claimed in claims 1 to 6, wherein said trays or plates are perforated. 8. Tile coding utensil as claimed m claims 1 to 7, wherein said holed connector is a nozzle dimensioned to be provided over the nozzle shaped valve pent of a pressure cooker. 9. The cooking utensil as claimed in claims 1 to 8, wherein said nozzle projects upwards moth die cavity of the said hollow body. 10. llie cooking utensil as claimed in claims 1 to 9, wherein said nozzle is joined to die base of said hulk>w body. 11. A cooking trail substantially as herein described wide reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

0465-mas-1999 abstract-duplicate.pdf

0465-mas-1999 abstract.pdf

0465-mas-1999 claims-duplicate.pdf

0465-mas-1999 claims.pdf

0465-mas-1999 correspondence-others.pdf

0465-mas-1999 correspondence-po.pdf

0465-mas-1999 description (complete)-duplicate.pdf

0465-mas-1999 description (complete).pdf

0465-mas-1999 drawings-duplicate.pdf

0465-mas-1999 drawings.pdf

0465-mas-1999 form-1.pdf

0465-mas-1999 form-19.pdf

0465-mas-1999 form-3.pdf