As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, many people are making rice dumplings. However, a woman in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, recently experienced an explosion while using a pressure cooker for this purpose, causing glutinous rice to scatter everywhere, resulting in a mess. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Experts remind that while pressure cookers are convenient, glutinous rice can become sticky and clog the exhaust valve, thus recommending traditional boiling methods or rice cookers instead.

According to a report by Qianjiang Video, the incident occurred on the 28th when a woman used a pressure cooker to prepare rice dumplings. To her dismay, the pressure in the pot became uncontrolled, leading to an explosion. The glutinous rice was thrown around, making the scene incredibly chaotic, and even the ceiling was damaged. After the incident, the woman lamented, “I just wanted to save time using the pressure cooker, but I didn’t expect it to explode. It’s really terrifying; I won’t dare to cook like this again. Everyone, please don’t follow my example!”

She also posted on social media advising others not to use pressure cookers for rice dumplings, calling it too dangerous. The report noted that incidents like this are not uncommon. Even though pressure cookers are known for their quick cooking advantages, the expansion of glutinous rice when heated can easily block the exhaust vent, leading to excessive pressure buildup and potentially causing explosions.

Experts recommend using traditional cooking utensils such as steaming pots or rice cookers that take longer but are relatively safer. If one insists on using a pressure cooker, it is crucial to ensure that the pressure release valve is unobstructed, not to overfill with dumplings or rice, and to regularly check the integrity of the pot seal.