Use Bamboo Steamers Like A Pro; Tips For Steaming Food

A bamboo steamer is a piece of cookware that uses hot water to steam food. The bamboo basket's slats allow steam to rise, evenly cooking the food. These steamers are circular in shape with a flat top and bottom, allowing cooks to stack many steamer baskets on top of each other. In Chinese cuisine, bamboo steamers are most commonly used to steam dumplings and other dim sum items.

How To Use Bamboo Steamers?

In your kitchen, you can use a bamboo steamer to steam dumplings, veggies, fish fillets, chicken, sticky rice, or even reheat food. To use a bamboo steamer, follow these steps:

1. Any rimmed pan, such as a saucepan or wok, will suffice. The pan should be large enough to allow some room between the sides of the steamer basket and the pan's inside lip.
2. Make sure there is enough water in the steamer to touch the bottom rim, but not so much that it touches the food. The water will keep the bamboo steamer from overheating.
3. Place your food in a single layer on the bottom of the steamer.
4. Place the bamboo steamer basket over simmering water and cover with the lid.
5. Allow the steam to rise and circulate around the meal until it is cooked according to the recipe. Check the water level on a regular basis to ensure it hasn't totally evaporated, and add hot water as needed.

Tips For Using Bamboo Steamers

Consider the following techniques for cooking with a bamboo steamer:

1. Stack several bamboo steamers

To cook many food items at the same time, stack multiple bamboo steamer baskets. Food that requires a longer cooking time should be placed in the bottom layer closest to the heat. The lid should be placed over the top steamer basket.

2. Keep room in the steamer

Avoid crowding the food to keep it from sticking together or undercooking in spots. Allow an inch of space between food items to allow for proper air circulation.

3. Prepare the steamer basket

To protect food from adhering to the steamer basket, line it with wax paper or parchment paper. As a liner, you can also use cabbage leaves, banana leaves, lettuce leaves, and other vegetable leaves. Alternatively, you can pour the meal into heatproof bowls and place it in the bamboo steamer.

4. Wash the steamer by hand

Dish soap and water should be used to hand-wash the bamboo steamer. Allow the steamer to completely dry before storing it in the cabinet to avoid the growth of mould and mildew.

Bamboo steamers can absorb the smell of the meal and take a very long time to dry. In the same way that bamboo steamers are used, circular metal steamers are also available for purchase such as stainless steel steamer baskets that are dishwasher-safe.