There are high chances that you might have heard of bamboo steamers. But like almost everyone, you might not know what they actually do and how they work. well, This post will tell you how to use a bamboo steamer basket.
Bamboo steamers are too simple to even think about finding in the supermarkets. The great steamers are worth not more than 20$. A large portion of the steamers has different layers that you can prepare more than one meal at the same time.
You will also need a cooking pot along with the bamboo steamer which being higher a few inches from the water. and keep the water level don't overflow the pot.
Cooking with a bamboo steamer basket don't need professional knowledge, Anyone with no experience can do it. However, there are several tips to keep in mind so that your food will taste better.
The Settlement of bamboo steamer basket
There are different sizes and tiers of bamboo steamers on the market. Such as 10-40” or more sizes available. The advantage of having multi tiers basket in the steamer is that you can cook several types of food at the same time.
So for getting started, you have to fill a pan with an inch or more of water and then bring it to a simmer. After the water is ready, all you have to do is set the steamer straightly on the pan, put the food in and close the basket lid.
Choose a wok or pan for bamboo steamer basket
When steaming food, make sure keep the water in the wok not too much so that the hot water will not touch the food, also not too little so that it will not burn the steamer.
Before you start to boil water, it's a good idea to check that your steamer and wok match well or not, and when you're done, you're ready to boil water.
Line the bamboo steamer
When cooking, you can put a mat or lining inside the steamer. This has several advantages. One is that it prevents the food from sticking to the bamboo pieces of the steamer, which makes it hard to pick up. The second is to prevent the smell pollution exists, the taste of some meat products will go into the bamboo, lined can prevent the steamed vegetables to have the taste of meat.
As for the lining material you want, there are no strict requirements. Some people use lettuce leaves, or banana leaves. Others used cabbage leaves or parchment. It depends on what you like. You can go to the supermarket and buy large sheets of parchment paper and cut them into circles as the size of the steamer, as long as you can fit the liner. This kind of lining is very cheap, you can buy dozens of them for only 5 dollars.
Place Food in Your Bamboo Steamer
When putting foods in the steamer, don't stuff them. Remember that their size will be bigger as they steam, because they need space to extend.
In the event that you'd like to steam something in a bowl or plate, there is no compelling reason to line the steamer, and you can put the shallow bowl or plate legitimately in the steamer bin, as long as the cover still fits on top and there is sufficient open space around the bowl or plate to enable the steam to ascend and flow around the nourishment. It is likewise a smart thought for the plate to have an edge, to gather any tasty sauce that may collect in the dish.
Not really sure about when you can use a bowl or plate to steam something? You can use it for steaming vegetables like butternut squash or pumpkin to make into different kind of dishes. You should additionally use this technique for dishes like Mushrooms and steamed chickens.
Place Bamboo Steamer in the wok
After that, you can either preheat your water with the goal that it's stewing when you place the bamboo steamer into the wok or pot, or you can put the steamer into the wok when the water is as yet cold and after that turn on the warmth slowly as it heats up.
Except indicated, what you should do is put the steamer onto the wok or container when the water is cold, then turning on the power switch.
Allowing it to cook
While cooking multiple foods in multiple tiers, you have to remember some important points.
You have to place the foods at the bottom of the basket that actually takes longer cooking time. And like that, you need to stack the food towards up that has shorter cooking times.
You have to put the foods evenly in tiers so that they can be cooked evenly. Foods like dumplings, they have to be apart from each other at a minimum of 1 cm so that they don't turn sticky. You wouldn't want sticky foods after a long session of cooking now, would you?
You have to be careful about the cooking duration. So, you have to check every 2 minutes after the first 10 minutes so you don't overcook your food. As a little tip, fish fillets take about 10 minutes to be cooked.
Steam food
When the water comes to a boil, then you can take the food to steam.
According to different foods, you can take different approaches.
If food needs to retain nutrients, it is better to put the food on a plate, and then take the plate into the steamer, so that the juices of the food will be retained.
If the steamed food is fatty meat, you can put it directly on the bamboo stick of the steamer. In this way, the grease will drop into the water during the steaming process, thus making the food healthy.
If you have limited time and need to cook a meal in a short time, here is a trick to remember. You can use a multi-tier steamer, with fish and meat on the bottom tier and vegetables and fruits on the top tier. Because the bottom steamer is closer to boiling water, you should take the ones that not easy to cook on the bottom and the ones that are easy to cook on top.
The food you can cook with bamboo steamer basket
Cooking with a steamer is so versatile that it can be used for almost any food. It can be used for steaming food, or for hot dishes or rice. And it can be used to cook all kinds of food, whether you're in Asia, Europe or America.
As we know that vegetable and steamer is the most suitable combination. Steamer basket not only retains vegetables original flavor, but also retains the appearance and texture without making them mushy. In the opinion of some cooks, the steamer basket is the only tool for steaming dumplings.
Some seafood, such as shrimp and crabs, are also good for cooking by steamer basket.It Not only can retain their shape, but also retain nutrients. Some people also use it to steam rice, wash the rice on the gauze, and then put in the steamer, 20 minutes or so can eat delicious food.
If you want to change your food flavor, you can use other soup instead of water. Such as Coca-Cola. This will give your food a whole new flavor. But that's a little expensive. Or you can steam it with broth, which will give your food a fresh taste and more nutritious.
Clean the bamboo steamer basket
After you finish your meal, it is time to clean the steamer. It is easy to wash because you put the lining in the steamer before you steam the food, so the steamer doesn't get dirty, you just wash the lining cloth. You can use hot water to wash the steamer and lining. It is recommended not to use soap, as there will be residue. After you wash it, rinse it several times.
After you washing and drying the bamboo steamer, store it . Remember to keep it in a well-ventilated, air dry place, as moisture can cause mildew in the steamer. Follow these tips and your steamer will last a long time.
Conclution
Recently, more and more people pay attention to healthy diet. Also recognize that the bamboo steamer basket can cook food quickly and maintain a light and healthy meal. It's a good substitute for other cooking tools.
All you need to do is just buy a set of bamboo steamer and place food in it, cooking then eating. Too simple to believe.
I'm sure you'll like it after you use it.
