When people want to eat healthier, they often turn to steamed food because it helps avoid the extra calories in the form of vegetable oil. Not only does it retain the nutrients in food, it also provides the purest, most natural flavor (from Crave).
There are many types of vegetable steamers, so make sure you buy the one that best suits the needs of your kitchen. The simplest is the collapsible stainless steel steamer that fits a wide variety of pots and pans (from Gourmet). The tool is easy to use and store, requiring only a pot or pan and some water. If you’re planning to cook East Asian dishes such as Chinese, consider using a bamboo steamer. These tiered baskets can be placed in woks and pans with water on the bottom (from Wok of Life). Electric vegetable steamers are a bit more complex, but they often have different components dedicated to a specific purpose, such as a rice bowl. The tray at the bottom of the appliance contains water and generates the steam (through the Aicok) needed for cooking. Just avoid the mistakes everyone makes when steaming.
No matter what type of steamer you have, they are perfect for any kitchen, especially given their versatility beyond cooking vegetables. Here are the top 10 ways to reap the benefits of a vegetable steamer.
This is perhaps the most obvious use of a vegetable steamer, but it’s a time-tested practice. Steaming vegetables is quick and easy, and you won’t lose nutrients that are often wasted with other cooking methods (via CNN). According to pioneer women, a metal steamer is the best tool for steaming vegetables if you don’t have an electric steamer.
To ensure your vegetables are always perfectly steamed, follow these simple rules: Cut food into even slices, don’t let boiling water (without salt) get into the steamer basket, and don’t cook too long or you’ll end up with gruel. Not all vegetables cook at the same speed. Arugula, spinach, and other leafy greens only need to be steamed for two to three minutes, while potatoes and zucchini can take up to 20 minutes to steam. Check readiness by piercing the vegetables with a fork, when they become soft, then ready. Serve as is or season to your liking.
Steam cooking is a very healthy way to cook fish while retaining its original flavor. While steamed fish is often considered bland or tasteless, steamed fish can be a delicious dish when cooked properly. Discover Seafood’s metal or bamboo steamer is perfect for cooking fish, but you can also use an electric steamer. Keep in mind that most vegetable steamers can only process a limited amount of fish. This method is suitable for small to medium sized whole fish or several fillets. For best results, choose fresh fish with bright metallic skin, clear eyes, and little to no fishy smell (via Los Angeles Times).
As with vegetables, it’s important not to overcook the fish, as this can lead to deterioration in texture and taste. Good Housekeeping recommends steaming for 10 minutes per inch of thickness. When the pulp becomes completely opaque, then it is ready.
Shelled seafood is also great for steaming. When working with clams, cook them in a covered saucepan (following the instructions for Steaming Clams in Green Onions) so that they absorb the flavor of the liquid they were cooked in. These bivalves are not very suitable for a vegetable cooker, but other shellfish, such as shrimp and crab legs, are suitable for them.
According to the Food Network, steaming shrimp can help prevent the rubbery texture that results from boiling, as steaming is a more gentle cooking process. They recommend pre-soaking the shrimp in a solution of salt and water and adding flavor by preparing the liquid, such as adding flavorings or using broth, beer, or wine. Steaming 1 to 2 pounds of shrimp takes four to six minutes. Crab legs are another option for shellfish cooked in a double boiler. Martha Stewart recommends boiling them for four to five minutes. If you are using frozen seafood, add a few minutes to the cooking time.
As versatile as chicken breast is, it can be difficult to cook it well, as most methods leave the meat dry and rubbery. In addition to the health benefits, steaming chicken breast produces tender, juicy meat without the addition of oil. Steaming chicken takes about 30 minutes, but keep in mind that the cooking time depends on the thickness of the chicken breast. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the meat is cooked – according to the US Department of Health and Human Services, chicken must have an internal temperature of 165°F to be safe to eat.
There are many ways to add flavor to steamed chicken. SFGate recommends seasoning and adding fresh herbs, citrus, spice blends, or seaweed to the steamer basket before steaming. If you like dark meat, try steamed chicken thighs. Taste Asian Food recommends marinating in rice wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil and then using steamer drops to make the sauce.
Gone are the days of waiting for a pot of water to boil. With the vegetable steamer, you can always cook your eggs perfectly and the shells will be easy to peel. (A simple recipe explains that the air in the steam passes through the shell to aid the cleaning process.)
Whether you are using an electric steamer, a metal basket, or a bamboo steamer, follow the cooking times below to get your desired doneness. Serious Eats recommends steaming for 6 minutes if you like a runny yolk, or 12 minutes if you like a fully cooked center. If you like boiled yolks, nine minutes of steam will do the trick (from Cooking Classy). Be sure to have a bowl of ice water ready. Placing steamed eggs in an ice bath immediately will speed up cooling and prevent overcooking by avoiding green rings on overcooked eggs. This ingenious trick ensures you never have those sulfur-smelling hard-boiled eggs again.
Chinese dumplings called “jiǎozi” are a favorite on most Chinese takeaway menus, but you can also cook them at home in a double boiler. Woks of Life considers this a great way to make dumplings because it brings out the filling better than pan frying or deep frying. Although the bamboo steamer is more traditional, you can use any steamer. Bamboo steamers need liners to keep dumplings from sticking to the bottom; non-stick cooking spray suitable for metal or plastic steamers (from Kitchn).
If you have time, we recommend making dumplings from scratch. For this steamed beef dumpling recipe, beat the dough with hot water in a food processor, then make the filling with ground beef, vegetables, and flavorings such as ginger, peppercorns, soy sauce, and rice wine. After rolling out the dough, fill it with raw stuffing and steam in a double boiler for about six minutes. The readiness of the filling should be checked with a meat thermometer.
For those who aren’t ready to take on such a project, you can buy a variety of frozen dumplings that are perfect for steaming – just be sure to check the cooking instructions on the package.
Many people prefer to cook on the stove, but you should consider using a steamer instead. Round Grain Rice is great for steaming and has a texture suitable for chopsticks (from The Spruce Eats). While rice cookers are made specifically for this task, they are versatile and you probably don’t have the space to spare in your kitchen. Because the holes in the vegetable steamer are too big for most grains, some electric steamers come with special rice bowls with smaller holes (from LiveStrong). Alternatively, you can line the bottom of the steamer with cheesecloth. If you don’t want glutinous rice, rinse the rice ahead of time to remove the starch shell, calls LiveStrong. Steaming takes 15 to 30 minutes. Before serving, remember to cover the rice and leave it in the steamer for another five minutes.
As with rice, very fluffy couscous can be obtained from a vegetable steamer. Matbach recommends the double steam method. Start with a pound of dry couscous, first let it soak in 1.5 cups of room temperature water, then steam in a double boiler for about 15 minutes. Remove the couscous from the steamer and mix with another cup of water. Then return the couscous to the steamer and cook for another 15 minutes.
The next use of a vegetable steamer can be amazing: you can use it to make desserts, including cakes. A steamed biscuit called Rou Dong Dog is a traditional Chinese dessert popular as a dim sum finish (from Food52). Made with yeast, this cake has a wonderfully chewy brioche-like texture with a hint of sweetness and is ready in 20-25 minutes.
Many other cakes can be steamed, and according to Judge Bakes, the main advantage of this route is the texture. While brownies can come out dry using traditional baking methods, steaming them produces moist, light crumbs. You can also use this method to ditch eggs by replacing yogurt and butter (via Hebbars Kitchen). These brownies are perfect for summer when you crave something sweet but don’t want to heat up the kitchen.
Although it varies in Latin America, tamales are the traditional Mexican food most familiar to American visitors, made with masa wrapped in banana leaves or corn husks. Toppings can range from savory meats and cheese to sweet fruits like spicy pineapple. Tamales are traditionally steamed in wrappers perfect for the vegetable cooker. Unlike other steamed foods, these small bags can be stacked on top of each other, which is ideal if you want to make tamales for a crowd.
However, this is not a fast food product, as the process can take up to two hours. Due to longer cooking times, it may sometimes be necessary to add more water to the Varoma. If your tamales are still soft and stuck to the wrapper, they haven’t cooked through – they will be tough when fully steamed.
There are tons of baby food on the market, but buying the best in jars and bags can cost quite a bit (from Babylist). Homemade baby food is easy to make with just a steamer and food processor. This is a great way to introduce kids to fresh produce.
The advantage of steaming is that you retain the highest percentage of nutritional value compared to other ways to make baby food at home (from the Baby Sleep website). To prepare your foods, follow our guide to steaming vegetables, including cutting them to the same size for even cooking. Babylist recommends steaming washed fruits and vegetables for about 10 minutes, or until you can mash them with a fork. If you’re just giving your baby solid foods, Babylist recommends chopping them up in a food processor, but if he’s been eating for a while, you can move on to mash them with a fork into larger chunks. You can also make large batches and freeze leftover baby food.
Post time: Jul-20-2023