ENCORE: Urvashi Pitre And The Instant Pot; Which Pizza Ranks Supreme?

If pressure cookers scare you, good news - cookbook author Urvashi Pitre says they’re nothing to fear. We revisit our conversation with her about cooking her famous butter chicken and more. Plus, whether it’s pan pizza, Detroit style or Chicago deep dish, everyone has a favorite pizza place in their town. Steve Dolinsky joins us with some of his favorite places.

Urvashi Pitre has been cooking for most of her life. But it wasn’t until 2017 that it became a way to de-stress from her day job, where she’s founder and president of her own company in Dallas.

It was never meant to be more than that. But over the past two years, Urvashi has shared her recipes with millions of people, whether it’s through her food blog, her cookbooks, or huge Facebook groups with those who are hoping to up their culinary game.

And oftentimes, it’s all done through the phenomenon known as the Instant Pot.

Urvashi is the author of the Indian Instant Pot Cookbook and the Keto Instant Pot Cookbook. We talked to her last summer when she spoke at the Printer’s Row Lit Fest. 

And- 

There are a few topics that you know are guaranteed to set off a argument around the dinner table. There’s religion, politics and pizza. Tell a group of lifetime Chicagaoans that you hate pan pizza and only like New York slices... you had better strap in. 

Or try to convince someone from another coast that the best thin crust can really be found in taverns in the Midwest. There’s also Detroit style, St. Louis provel and of course, Hawaiian. 

Everyone has their favorite pizza, and everyone is right. And it’s this kind of passion that has infused Steve Dolinksy’s book “Pizza City USA” and his subsequent tasting tours. You may know him as the Hungry Hound food reporter for ABC-7 Chicago and his podcast the Feed with Rick Bayless. 

We spoke with him last year at our studio in Evanston.