Steaming food is quick and easy, and it doesn't take a lot of equipment or experience. Nonetheless, many home cooks ignore this approach in favour of boiling, poaching, or roasting. The blockage might be as simple as some useful advice on what steam can (and cannot) do, the minimal equipment required, and what not to do once you've got your steaming pot ready. Consider this your starting point for steaming.
Steaming is a cooking method that uses the moist heat of simmering water to cook meals. Steaming, as opposed to boiling or simmering, creates space between the water and the food. Steaming recipes frequently call for steamer baskets or bamboo steamers, but in general, no additional equipment is required: just a pot and something to elevate the food above the surface of the water.
What Foods Are/Can Be Steamed?
Steaming is an excellent method for softening tough veggies. Steaming sweet potatoes allows you to add them to muffin batter or make your own baby food puree, for example. However, some softening effect extends to more difficult-to-handle food such as beets and winter squash, making them easier to eat with less preparation. You can, for example, steam these vegetables whole without peeling them first, then remove the peel and seeds afterwards. You can also utilise steam to make easier-to-peel hard-boiled eggs or to gently cook poultry, shrimp, or fish. Steaming is also employed in popular dishes such as dumplings, steamed buns, tamales, and tender cakes. Are you ready to experience the power of steaming? Here are the five most important things you should know.
1. No Need Of A Special Steamer
Steamer pots can be large and cumbersome, and if you don't steam every day, they may not be worth the expense. A good stockpot with a tight-fitting lid and a cheap steamer basket can do a lot of steaming (and be used for other things). If you don't want to buy a steamer basket, a stainless steel trivet or round cooling rack can be used to lift the food off the bottom of the pot and steam numerous foods.
But here's what matters: the tight-fitting lid. This maintains a steady moderate heat from the boiling water, allowing steamed meals to cook faster. It also prevents your water from boiling over immediately.
2. Right Amount Of Water
Because steaming is not the same as boiling or poaching, you don't need a full pot of water and you definitely don't want the food to come into contact with the water. So, how much water do you require? This will vary depending on the size of your pot, what you use to elevate the food, and how long you need to steam, but we normally recommend an inch of water depth. Even for short-legged steamer baskets or cooling racks, one inch of water is sufficient to heat the water and keep it warm throughout cooking.
Do you need to add a bit additional water in the middle of the steaming process? Avoid adding cool or room temperature water to your steaming setup because it will reduce the temperature and lengthen the cooking time. Keep a small pot of water running on the stove to refill your steaming pot when you have longer steamed food or need to prepare in batches.
3. Timing Is Everything
If you connect steaming with mushy dishes, it could be because no one set a timer! Steaming is known for being mild, yet it is also extremely rapid and forceful. Peeled and cubed veggies are steamed tender in minutes, while potatoes that take 20 minutes or more to boil are ready for mashing in less than 10 minutes. Set a timer before you begin steaming things unless you intend to purée them afterwards. Another word on timing: Before adding your meal, wait until the water is boiling and there is steam in the pot. This reduces cooking time and keeps the seasoning from boiling off.
4. Different Steamers Have Different Applications
We've already discussed a basic stovetop steamer setup, but there are many different alternatives for steaming than the pot, steamer basket, and lid. Multiple items can be cooked at the same time in a bamboo steamer basket, with longer cooking foods on the bottom and tender foods on top. A bamboo steamer can also be used to make steamed buns, dumplings, and other dishes.
When you need a quick weeknight side dish, microwave steaming is a lifesaver. All you need is a microwave-safe bowl and plastic wrap to rapidly steam broccoli, corn, or even rice or quinoa. If you fall in love with microwave steaming, you can invest in specific microwave steaming gadgets.
5. Season The Food
Steaming looks like the ideal time for aromatics, right? However, because the food and water do not come into touch, adding salt, spices, or other aromatics to your steaming water risks compromising your cook time. Instead, season the dish directly and layer any aromatics in the steamer basket. For example, before adding shrimp and sausage, simmer a complete head of garlic for a few minutes. The garlic will not become waterlogged, and you may use it to make garlic bread to accompany the shrimp or in other recipes.