Hi James
You've answered most of your own questions in your OP.
If you did the recipe in a normal stockpot without the required liquid and due care you would have had the same burnt result.

On your spinning weight
PC Test, Add 500ml of cold water,clamp lid on, turn to highest heat, your pressure indicator should pop up after 4 to 5 minutes, leave on high heat and you will see the weight start to spin and the longer you leave it on high heat the faster it will spin. Now turn the heat down to very low and the weight will slow down and eventually stop and may simply rock a little as it regulates the pressure.
Theres nothing wrong with your PC at all.

Base Test
A few months ago I uploaded a simple "All in one Base" or curry for beginners,
Using a bought curry powder (Bolst Hot)

Curry in a Hurry, Pressure Cooked base ?

1)-200ml vegetable oil, infused with Tej Patta and Cassia
2)-500 ml of tap water
3)-3kg Onions.
4)-1 medium carrot,
5)-Third medium Green capsicum .
6)-Third medium Red capsicum
7)-A quarter of white cabbage. (Small)
8 )-A handful of fresh coriander stalks.
9)-Half bulb of Garlic.
10)-2 inch piece of fresh ginger.
11)-2 Green Chillis
12)-3 tbsp of a tube of tomato puree. (M&S Italian)
13)-1 tbsp of salt.
14)-1 tbsp of Haldi. (Tumeric Powder)
15)-1 tbsp of Bolst Hot Curry Powder.

watch it here Curry in a Hurry

This one turns out more like a medium curry with the extra spice and infused oil.

Hope this helps, Chewy

**Phil what make of PCooker do you own?

Quote from: chewytikka on January 29, 2013, 02:37 PM
Phil what make of PCooker do you own ?

Fagor, I think : can't check at the moment as it is hot and full of ox kidney ...
Yes, Fagor : now confirmed. 
** Phil.

Quote from: Petrolhead360 on January 29, 2013, 10:19 PM
When the safety valve blew there seemed to be a good amount of steam but when I opened the PC everything was dry.

OK.  I think you have identified the real cause earlier in the the thread, where you refer to the manufacturer's specification for the minimum amount of liquid per unit time.  As it would appear that you were well below that, it now seems very likely to me that the pressure cooker /was/ fine (whether it still is is moot) and so you have no valid claim under the "Not of merchantable quality" clause of the SoGA.

** Phil.

Quote from: RubyDoo on January 29, 2013, 09:00 AM

C2G.   I tend to make the 3 litre version but do it in the 7l pressure cooker as I then later make it up to around 6l when adding the water. I actually fill to a little over halfway with onions when doing this. Why do I do this? Simples. The largest pot I have is only 7l

Thanks for that I'll have a go at the 3L version

Not trying to hijack this thread, but thought I'd run a question seeing as OP seems pretty much in the right direction.

I got myself a prestige pressure cooker, the model whose manual was linked by Phil early in this thread. Looking around the manual, I can't find any labels indicating how to "regulate the pressure", it points to where the regulator is, but there is no labels whatsoever. Regarding PSI, the manual also states it works as 7 lbs but can go up to a maximum of 14 lbs. What is the PSI exactly and how does it affect the cooking and what is the recommended?