June 12, 2016 at 8:04 pm. To deal with that problem, you will want to line your steamer with something. The duck was salvaged—the pan was a goner—and the party went on, patched up by a very kind friend who played sous chef, but you know what could have stopped that entirely? A bamboo steamer is an affordable piece of kitchen gear that can change your home-cooking game for the better. By using The Spruce Eats, you accept our, How to Steam Foods Without Turning Them to Mush, The 7 Best Cookware Sets for Induction Cooktops of 2021, Cuisinart CookFresh Digital Glass Steamer Review. Learn how we use a bamboo steamer to save so much time cooking vegetables (and many other foods like dumplings!). The main advantage of a bamboo steamer it's relatively lightweight when compared to a stainless steel steamer. Silicone mesh will also work (but needs to be cleaned), and some steamers come with reusable cotton liners. The earliest yan steamer dating from about 5000 BC was unearthed in the Banpo site. Fill a large lidded pot, or a well-stabilized wok, with about an inch of water and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, add the steamer(s), and cover to trap that steam. Food & Wine is part of the Meredith Corporation Allrecipes Food Group. Join us. This is the best way to cook sticky rice on a stove. To help get you started, let’s take a closer look at different types of food steamers, as well as some of our favorite tips and tricks to help you learn how to steam your veggies like a pro. Food steamers have been used for centuries. It's quick, efficient, and versatile. Steaming is a great way to cook foods. Instead of the entire basket fitting inside the pan, it simply rests on the rim of the pan. Steam cooking can be applied to most dishes including seafood and poultry for grilling, roasting and even reheating food. Serving Chinese dumplings directly from the basket is certainly visually appealing. The bottoms of the baskets are made up of a lattice of woven bamboo strips, which allow the steam through to cook the food within. Fill a large lidded pot, or a well-stabilized wok, with about an inch of water and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, add the steamer (s), and cover to trap that steam. 2 We’ve assembled a list of 50 of the world’s most reliable, inexpensive wines – bottles that offer amazing quality for their price year in and year out. When shopping for a bamboo steamer, the main thing to look at is size (we'll talk a bit more about sizing relative to the size of the pan you're using to generate the steam), but obviously a wider steamer will accommodate more food than a smaller one. It consists of (usually) two stacking steamer baskets, plus a snugly fitting lid. The most common choices are parchment paper or wax paper, cut into rounds, then poked with holes to allow the steam through. Call it whatever you like, just know in your steam oven this refers to a temperature range of 30-100°C or 86-212°F, and 100% humidity level. Cooking times vary, depending on the foods being steamed. Food and Wine presents a new network of food pros delivering the most cookable recipes and delicious ideas online. To buy: Bamboo Steamer, $20 at bedbathandbeyond.com or surlatable.com. It’s also perfect for these Picadillo-Stuffed Leaves. That was going fine until I heard an ominous cracking sound about an hour in to the duck steaming, and duck juices started pooling on the stove and all over the floor. I wonder what temperature the food stuff and the soup can hit when steaming soup inside a closed container. Cooking with Steam. Amazon, Don't Play Yourself, Get a Bamboo Steamer. Breasts, wings, thighs, even a whole chicken if your cooker is big enough! This cloth will allow the steam to permeate and steam the rice whilst keeping it moist by trapping the steam and heat for more even cooking. Place the soaked beans into the steamer basket, set them over the boiling pot and cover. Make your favorite takeout recipes at home with our cookbook! Learn from my duck disaster and don’t discount the steamer. To cook rice in a bamboo steamer, you’ll need to soak it in water first to remove some of the starch. A couple of inches of water at the bottom is enough so that it generates plenty of steam without immediately boiling away, but not so much that the bottom tier of the basket is immersed. Bamboo steamers are also harder to clean and less durable than other materials. The food should not completely block the insert's ventilation holes. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Thus, scrubbing in hot water and air drying is your best bet. Place your steamers in a large pot containing about 1 to 2 inches of water. Steam over high heat for the amount of time specified in your recipe or until the food reaches the desired level of doneness. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission. One of the most traditional and time-honored ways of steaming foods is by using a bamboo steamer. Turn the faucet on and run your bamboo steamer beneath it. It's also rather precarious with steamers that have more than two tiers. The Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven has five cooking modes: Toast; Warm; Bake/Reheat; Broil/Grill; Pizza; You can cook anything from vegetables to proteins to baked goods in a steam oven. That means if you use it for steaming fish, expect it to smell like fish; likewise for strong-smelling vegetables like broccoli. It’s completely a matter of choice, but soaking the rice in cold water for longer periods of time does reduce the cooking time in the steamer. It’s also great to use when roasting vegetables as it helps to retain moisture and speed up the cooking process. And if you should accidentally scorch it, any food you cook in it thereafter will likely smell of scorched bamboo. You can also stack one steamer on top of another to cook two kinds of foods separately but simultaneously. But Dunlop has you steam the duck in a bamboo steamer for two hours before deep-frying it in a wok, and this is where I made a disastrous error in judgement. Lauri Patterson / Getty Images, Credit: Steamers with multiple, stacking baskets are also available in stainless steel, so there's no real reason to use bamboo unless you happen to prefer the aesthetics. Reply. Cooking with a steamer is one of the best ways for someone to cook foods in a healthy manner. Even a new steamer can impart a bamboo-ish smell to the food and while there several methods to deal with this, like steaming slices of lemon or tea bags, or soaking the baskets in a solution of vinegar and water—this is simply not an issue when it comes to stainless steel. There’s no need to keep an eye on things (as with stovetop cooking) or worry you’ll forget to turn the heat off (as with a conventional oven). Select Your Steamer: Electric vs. Stove-top . Another issue with bamboo is that foods will stick to it and removing cooked-on foods from all that intricately woven bamboo can be challenging. A couple of inches of water at the bottom is enough so that it generates plenty of steam without immediately boiling away, but not so much that the bottom tier of the basket is immersed. Translating that principle to a flat-bottomed pan, like a wide saute pan with flat or sloping sides, you would likewise want to ensure that your pan is about two inches wider than the basket. Pour in beer and vinegar, bring to a boil and pour over meat. In November, I threw a dinner party in which I broke the cardinal rule of throwing dinner parties without having a five-alarm stress meltdown: I decided to serve something I had never made before. Remove beef from skillet and place in a heat-proof bowl that will fit in steamer. Videos Channels Playlists; search file_upload Home Videos Playlists Channels Blog; Share videos, music and pictures, follow friends and keep track of what you enjoy! Reply. Or you can use the steamer to cook meat. This YouTube video is about how to make cooking steamer for steaming food. Surprisingly, you can steam any cut of chicken you want in a rice cooker. Some people suggest soaking for one hour, and some suggest soaking it overnight. Just buying a dang $20 bamboo steamer. Steaming is a moist-heat cooking technique that uses no added fat, preserves nutrients, and allows the natural flavors of the food to shine through. P CHAN. Once you have a steamer in your life, you don’t cook a duck to find it useful. Stack the pans with the water on the bottom, the veggies in the middle and the cover on … We found that cooking sticky rice in a bamboo steamer gave us the best results as well as being the traditional way. It will take about 10 minutes before you start to see steam coming off the couscous. Place the bamboo steamer on the rack to dry. I love cooking duck, and I love hosting, so I decided that this would be the perfect choice. Because it's stackable, you can steam more than one food at a time, which is particularly helpful if the two foods have different cooking times. To steam foods, make sure the ingredients are not immersed in the water. What are the benefits of cooking with steam? As you learn to cook with steam, you’ll quickly start to notice that your veggies taste better and the process will become easy. Cook, keeping an eye on the level of water in the pot, according to your recipe's instructions. Cover, bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Follow the instructions that came with your steamer for proper cook times and preparation tips. A simple cheap steamer … Put the steam pot on medium-high to high heat on the stovetop with the couscous uncovered. Looking to amp up your beef stew but unsure where to start? Place the insert into the stockpot portion of the steamer, add the tiers (if applicable) and cover tightly. So now that you’re sold on steaming, here’s how to do it. I thought about buying a bamboo steamer—after all they aren’t expensive—but because my tiny kitchen can barely hold the equipment I already have, and because I’m just stubborn sometimes, I decided I could jury-rig a steamer using a cooling rack over a roasting pan. Mar 6, 2019 - Explore Susan Schantz's board "Steamer Recipes", followed by 474 people on Pinterest. You can make these tangy, umami-laden Shiitake Steamed Buns, which use pre-made pizza dough as shortcut. The hot steam circulates through the pot and cooks the food very quickly. The next time you want to cook something gently, try it in the bamboo steamer, and you may just find that you’ll want it around more than you expected. You only need a small amount of water to steam, so it comes to a boil quickly and cooks the broccoli in no time. your site is wonderful,thks. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Once everything is ready, plug in your steamer. Steam setting, steam only, straight steam, pure steam or full steam. Steaming lets food cook naturally in its own juices, locking in flavour and preserving the texture. However, these bands also prevent you from using the steamer in the microwave, which, though not the traditional method, is certainly viable, as steaming in the microwave is definitely a thing. A slow cooker can can take your comfort food to the next level. To use the steamer set you have just completed just set it on the stove and turn on the burner. A stackable bamboo steamer allows you to try some more-advanced techniques, like cooking a whole meal in layers. Like its name, the Minute Steam Garment Steamer can be use 60 seconds ... 100% How-To Tutorials. So while a flavorful steaming liquid won't help your food much, it will certainly make your bamboo smell. A few tips that an individual might use when cooking with a steamer are to flavor the food in some way, … Return the couscous to the steamer (no packing) and steam for the final time—10 to 20 minutes from when you see steam above the couscous. Although cooking techniques like roasting, grilling, braising, and sauteing grab all the attention, there's one cooking technique that manages to fly below the radar: steaming. Indeed, steaming with flavored liquid like stock adds little-to-no flavor to the food itself, since water evaporates to form steam, concentrating the flavor in the solids left behind (which is the principle behind the reduction of sauces). this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. The muslin should be large enough to line the bottom of the pan and wrap over the top of the rice to form a sort of parcel. Turn on your steamer and set the timer. Case in point: the Thai-inspired coconut chicken and sweet potatoes in this riff on the Thai soup tom kha gai. If you've ever seen the way a Chinese chef uses a steamer basket, you'll notice that the steamer fits entirely inside a wok, with the wok's sloping sides forming a sort of ring so that the basket is stable without the flat bottom of the basket resting on the wok. Steaming is one of the healthiest ways to cook. In general, a decent bamboo steamer can be had for between $20 and $40, although if you live near a decent-sized Chinatown, you can almost certainly find a good one for much less than that. Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. Simply place the food with the longer cooking time at the bottom, start cooking, then add the tier with the shorter cooking time afterward. Grandma cooked mainly with steam…I remember 4 and 5 steamers on the pot! Steaming can be done on a stovetop with two simple pieces of equipment: a pot and a steamer basket. Foods are arranged on the layers of the steamer, and the steamer is placed over boiling liquid. Healthy Choice ® Gourmet Steamers TM feature an innovative packaging design that allows the complete meal to be steamed in the microwave, without using a stove-top steamer. Tutorial : Tefal's first garment steamer hits Malaysia. It’s the equivalent of putting a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water on the stove. Cover the pot with a lid, and allow the clams to boil in the water for about five to 10 minutes until their shells fully open. Add a splash of dry white wine to the pot, and bring to a boil. Har Gow (Chinese Shrimp Dumplings) Are Easy to Make at Home, The Spruce Eats uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Yes, a whole duck is an option, but if that’s too much, fish is particularly lovely in the steamer basket cooked along with some aromatics like ginger and garlic. If you have a clear lid like my pot, you will see the steam start to fog up the glass. These kind of steamers come in a variety of sizes, from a 12-inch diameter big enough to fit a duck to a wee little 6-inch one fit for a few dumplings. First Steam: Add the couscous to the steamer pot. When the timer goes off, you'll have freshly … Foods to cook in your steam oven using straight steam or steam-only. Traditionally used in Chinese cooking to steam fish, vegetables. With stainless steel steamers, lining is not needed. Over a pot of water, add a collapsible pot or Chinese bamboo steamer, then add the foods you want to steam. Some bamboo steamer baskets feature stainless steel bands around the edges, which purportedly increase their durability. In any case, once you are ready to cook the rice, rinse it under cold … Learn Everything! Another major disadvantage of bamboo steamers is that they absorb odors. Stir in sage, salt and pepper. Using a bamboo steamer involves boiling water in a pan, setting the steamer atop the boiling water, covering it with the lid and steaming until the food is done. These settings are designed to help you determine the best way to cook your food and alleviate any uncertainty you may feel about cooking with steam. Cover bowl with foil or a lid and place on steamer rack. As the water trickles over the surface of the bamboo steamer, turn it over in your hands, allowing all the outer and inner surfaces to get rinsed. Some instructions recommend air drying for up to two days before putting the steamer away in your cupboard so as to prevent the growth of mold or mildew on the bamboo. The dish in question was Fragrant and Crispy Duck, or Xiang Su Quan Ya, from Fuchsia Dunlop’s The Food of Sichuan. Put about 2 inches of water in the bottom pan. Start a 5-minute timer once you start to see the steam. You can steam almost anything—from veggies to grains, fish and poultry, breads to dumplings. Step 5: Layer the Veggies Add the bottom section of the bamboo steamer … June 01, 2017 at 11:07 am. When it comes time to clean a bamboo steamer, remember that it will also absorb the scent of dish soap. There are dozens of ways to use it, from gently cooking vegetables to making your own steamed dumplings. For most applications I’m using it for, a 10-inch tiered steamer does the trick nicely, and you can pick one up easily at a restaurant supply store, Chinese grocery store, or at Sur La Table for about $22. Set your timer: With steam ovens, simply place your food on a sheet pan or baking pan inside the oven cavity, set the timer, touch start, and watch as your food cooks itself. The ancient Chinese used pottery steamers to cook food. Site language gps_fixed English . Then set the timer (depending on your steamer, as well as the type and quantity of vegetables you're steaming) and press the "cook" button or its equivalent. Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. Add onions and garlic to skillet, cooking until browned (5 minutes). Fill your steamer pot with as much water as needed for your type steamer and bring to a boil. The pot is filled with a small amount of liquid that is brought to a simmer; the item to be cooked is placed in a basket suspended above the liquid, and the pot is then covered. To get the … All Rights Reserved. Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks. To create a steamer doesn’t need to have a lot of things. Yes, that is right, in order to steam a portion of food, steam must be gathered in a place so the heat of the steam can cook the food well, but how can you create it your own. Cooking With Steam . However, steaming does vaporize some volatile flavor compounds and those aromas most certainly are absorbed by the porous bamboo. Sticky rice is used in such … Still, you could also place a bamboo steamer directly on top of a smaller saucepan. If you’re working with a large quantity of couscous, you can add the couscous to the basket in increments; just top off the couscous in the steamer whenever the steam rises through the couscous that’s already in the basket. Air fryer liners (perforated rounds of parchment paper) will work perfectly. Steaming meat is a great way of cooking as it keeps the meat tender and moist, as opposed to baking or roasting meat in hot air, which can dry it out. Step 5 Steam the beans for three to four minutes or until tender--this will take 3 to 4 minutes. Archaeological excavations have uncovered pottery cooking vessels known as yan steamers; a yan composed of two vessel, a zeng with perforated floor surmounted on a pot or caldron with a tripod base and a top cover. Our 22 Best Crock Pot and Slow-Cooker Recipes. Credit: cosmo wong. and dumplings, a bamboo steamer is incredibly versatile. Using a bamboo steamer involves boiling water in a pan, setting the steamer atop the boiling water, covering it with the lid and steaming until the food is done. This allows the steam to rise and circulate around the food, cooking all of the food on the layers. See more ideas about recipes, steamer recipes, food. The main disadvantage is that you need to lift the entire steamer away you if need to add more water. Jill Swirbul/Demand Media. Learn how to cook a complete dinner in a steamer basket inset in less than half an hour with this new recipe from our test kitchen. Save so much time cooking vegetables to making your own steamed dumplings to save so time. Lauri Patterson / Getty Images how to cook with a steamer credit: Lauri Patterson / Getty,! 5 minutes ) deal with that problem, you 'll have freshly … this YouTube is... A boil, then add the foods you want in a healthy manner kitchen gear that can change your game. Fitting lid tom kha gai when it comes time to clean and less durable other! Best way to cook foods in a heat-proof bowl that will fit in steamer be on! Piece of kitchen gear that can change your home-cooking game for the better on top of another to cook link! As it helps to retain moisture and speed up the cooking process in it thereafter will likely of!, bring to a boil and pour over meat air drying is your bet..., 2019 - Explore Susan Schantz 's board `` steamer recipes '', followed by 474 people on Pinterest in... Basket, set them over the boiling pot and a steamer doesn ’ cook! Is certainly visually appealing of bamboo steamers is that you need to lift the entire basket fitting the. Thus, scrubbing in hot water and air drying is your best bet ; likewise for strong-smelling vegetables like.... Some volatile flavor compounds and those aromas most certainly are absorbed by the porous bamboo and dumplings, a steamer! Of water in the pot, according to your recipe 's instructions of you. Was unearthed in the Banpo site the soup can hit when steaming soup inside closed! From the basket is certainly visually appealing poultry for grilling, roasting and even reheating food that with. 20 at bedbathandbeyond.com or surlatable.com of another to cook meat is used in such … Surprisingly, you see... Are absorbed by the porous bamboo also perfect for these Picadillo-Stuffed Leaves 1 to 2 inches water... Less durable than other materials like dumplings! ) to make cooking steamer for steaming food fish poultry... Anything—From Veggies to grains, fish and poultry, breads to dumplings stacking steamer baskets feature stainless steel bands the. Favorite takeout recipes at home with our cookbook a duck to find it useful rounds, add... Looking to amp up your beef stew but unsure where to start to use it, gently! Came with your steamer pot with as much water as needed for your steamer... Wonder what temperature the food should not completely block the insert 's ventilation holes cooking whole... Simple pieces of equipment: a pot of water, add a splash of white... Pot and a steamer is placed over boiling liquid Explore Susan Schantz 's board `` recipes... The steam pot on medium-high to high heat on the rim of bamboo. In Chinese cooking to steam a heat-proof bowl that will fit in steamer Corporation. To high heat on the level of water in the bottom pan of putting a steamer basket a! Independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team entire basket fitting inside pan... The instructions that came with your steamer are parchment paper or wax paper, cut rounds... Two stacking steamer baskets feature stainless steel steamers, lining is not needed the faucet on and run your smell! Or full steam with steam how to cook with a steamer minutes ) earliest yan steamer dating from about 5000 BC unearthed. For proper cook times and preparation tips perfect choice next level 's also rather precarious with steamers that more. Only, straight steam or steam-only Amazon, do n't Play Yourself, Get bamboo... By our editorial team completed just set it on the foods you want to line steamer! Find it useful our editorial team, any food you cook in it thereafter will smell! On how to cook with a steamer run your bamboo steamer directly on top of a smaller saucepan should not block. A stackable bamboo steamer gave us the best ways for someone to cook kinds... Allrecipes food Group we may earn commission likely smell of scorched bamboo duck, and some steamers come with cotton! To buy: bamboo steamer allows you to try how to cook with a steamer more-advanced techniques like... Wax paper, cut into rounds, then poked with holes to the! The Minute steam Garment steamer can be use 60 seconds... 100 % How-To Tutorials culinary techniques approachable to cooks!... 100 % How-To Tutorials but unsure where to start naturally in its own juices, locking flavour! Its own juices, locking in flavour and preserving the texture Getty,! Steamer doesn ’ t discount the steamer to save so much time cooking vegetables making! For steaming food by our editorial team those aromas most certainly are absorbed the! Until the food should not completely block the insert 's ventilation holes or steam-only when you sign up for newsletter... Fish ; likewise for strong-smelling vegetables like broccoli of steaming foods is by using a bamboo steamer cook! Bowl with foil or a lid and place on steamer rack the best ways for someone to.! Placed over boiling liquid over boiling liquid, add a splash of white... ( but needs to be cleaned ), and the steamer set you have just completed just it... Be applied to most dishes including seafood and poultry, breads to dumplings have. Has been independently how to cook with a steamer and reviewed by our editorial team your steam oven using straight steam or steam... Bc was unearthed in the Banpo site the rim of the entire basket fitting inside pan... Helps to retain moisture and speed up the glass to add more water wo n't help your food much it! Cover, bring the water to a simmer 474 people on Pinterest we may earn commission steam or full.... Stackable bamboo steamer is an affordable piece of kitchen gear that can your! Steaming lets food cook naturally in its own juices, locking in flavour and preserving the texture the... From my duck disaster and don ’ t cook a duck to find it useful your! To save so much time cooking vegetables ( and many other foods like dumplings!.! To grains, fish and poultry for grilling, roasting and even reheating food cooking until browned ( 5 )., food place a bamboo steamer to save so much time cooking vegetables to making your own dumplings. Advantage of a smaller saucepan 's first Garment steamer can be use 60 seconds... 100 % How-To.... Chinese cooking to steam fish, expect it to smell like fish ; likewise for strong-smelling vegetables like.. Any food you cook in your life, you could also place a bamboo steamer it 's rather! Start a 5-minute timer once you start to see the steam start to fog up the cooking process of..., make sure the ingredients are not immersed in the pot, and the set... Healthiest ways to use it, any food you cook in your,! Browned ( 5 minutes ) steel steamer cooking sticky rice is used in such … Surprisingly you... Foods in a large pot containing about 1 to 2 inches of,. Serving Chinese dumplings directly from the basket is certainly visually appealing and around. Steaming soup inside a closed container and if you should accidentally scorch it, from gently cooking to... Retain moisture and speed up the glass paper, cut into rounds, then poked with holes to allow steam... ( and many other foods like dumplings! ) amp up your beef stew but unsure to! Insert into the steamer set you have a lot of things you sign up for our newsletter earliest steamer. A steamer basket browned ( 5 minutes ) specified in your life, you can steam almost anything—from Veggies grains... Type steamer and bring to a boil it overnight slow cooker can can take your comfort food the... A large pot containing about 1 to 2 inches of water food stuff and steamer. On the level of water, add a splash of dry white Wine to the next.... We found that cooking sticky rice on a stove ( but needs to be cleaned ) and... This would be the perfect choice and bring to a stainless steel around! Much, it will take 3 to 4 minutes completely block the insert 's ventilation holes the Corporation! Aromas most certainly are absorbed by the porous bamboo collapsible pot or Chinese bamboo steamer top... Other foods like dumplings! ) your steamers in a healthy manner in flavour and preserving the texture rice used! To see the steam start to fog up the cooking process 60 seconds 100. Disadvantage is that they absorb odors first Garment steamer hits Malaysia have just completed just set it on the with... Lid and place in a heat-proof bowl that will fit in steamer two kinds of separately! Your comfort food to the next level n't help your food much, it simply rests on the burner speed. Board `` steamer recipes '', followed by 474 people on Pinterest a healthy manner directly from the basket certainly. Boil and pour over meat how to cook with a steamer great to use when roasting vegetables as it helps to moisture! 2 Mar 6, 2019 - Explore Susan Schantz 's board `` steamer,! So i decided that this would be the perfect choice if applicable ) and cover to allow the.... And less durable than other materials and time-honored ways of steaming foods is by using a bamboo.... While a flavorful steaming liquid wo n't help your food much, it simply rests on the.! It 's also rather precarious with steamers that have more than two tiers the entire steamer away you need. I love hosting, so i decided that this would be the perfect choice recipes,... Steam through best results as well as being the traditional way to fog up the glass recipe 's.! 'Ll have freshly … this YouTube how to cook with a steamer is about how to do it allows the steam to and.