History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c26.s2.t1.6

v1.c26.s2.t1.6

Cooking under pressure : The virtues of cooking over a slow fire is noted in the *Bhela Saṃhitā* (c. 150 AD) (Prakash Om, 1961, pp.87-101) and again a century later in the *Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa* (Prakash Om, 1961, pp.203-239). Now generally called *dumpukht* or simply dum cooking, this involves slow simmering of the materials in a vessel, on which a well-fitting lid is sealed all round using a thick dough of wheat. The practice is called *kaṇikā* in Kannada, and is mentioned in a work of 1606 AD (*Supa Śāstra*, (b), p. 255), but is probably older. It is in common use even today for making pullao all over the country, live coals being placed both below the vessel and on the lid for slow, gentle baking with aroma retention.