Steaming Made Easy: Cooking With A 3-Tier Steamer

A 3-tier steamer is a cooking tool that resembles a cake stand. It is a handy cookware option that allows you to cook multiple dishes simultaneously. The three separate compartments include a bottom base, a middle shelf, and a top compartment. The steam generated in the bottom part cooks the food in the two top layers. You can cook a variety of dishes in a 3-tier steamer, including rice, pasta, dumplings, seafood, poultry, and vegetables.

How to cook in a 3-tier steamer

How to layer the ingredients

When layering ingredients in a 3-tier steamer, it is important to consider the cooking time of each ingredient and the effect of starch and juices dripping down onto other foods. Here is a guide:

The bottom layer, or first tier, is best for ingredients that require a longer cooking time, such as root vegetables like potatoes and carrots, or meats like chicken. This layer is also suitable for foods that will be the main portion of the meal. The bottom layer can also be used for boiling eggs, although timing may be difficult.

The middle layer, or second tier, is ideal for foods with a medium to long cooking time. This includes seafood like fish, oysters, and prawns, as well as boneless chicken breasts. This layer can also accommodate vegetables with a moderate cooking time, such as baby courgettes, asparagus, and cabbage.

The top layer, or third tier, is perfect for ingredients that need less steam and shorter cooking times. This includes delicate foods like thin fish fillets and scallops, as well as vegetables like mushrooms, Chinese leaves, and mange tout.

When preparing ingredients, it is important to not overcrowd the layers, as this will result in uneven cooking. Additionally, when cooking starchy foods like potatoes, it is recommended to place them in the bottom layer to prevent starch from dripping onto other foods.

For added flavour, ingredients like chicken breasts can be wrapped in foil with butter, wine, herbs, and spices.

How long to cook for

The cooking time for a 3-tier steamer will depend on the type of food being cooked. Different foods require varying cooking times, and it's important to know how to use the pot effectively as different foods cook at different rates.

For example, chicken breast fillets of 225/250g should be cooked for 22/25 minutes. However, one user commented that they would cook them for 30/35 minutes. Another user recommends cooking chicken breasts for about 25 minutes without wrapping them in foil, while another user steams chicken breasts with a little buttered foil, wine, herbs, and seasoning for 25 minutes.

For baby courgettes and asparagus, steam for only 3-5 minutes, depending on how firm you like your vegetables. For potatoes, it takes about 15-20 minutes, depending on their size.

Fish is another great option for the steamer and can be cooked in around 15 minutes. For a whole meal, you can steam fish with vegetables and rice.

Generally, it takes about 5-7 minutes to steam vegetables, and another 3-5 minutes for quick-steaming. Double-steaming takes about 10-12 minutes.

How to prepare ingredients

Preparing ingredients for a 3-tier steamer is a simple process. First, decide what you want to cook. A 3-tier steamer is perfect for cooking multiple dishes simultaneously, so you can prepare ingredients for a whole meal, including a main dish, a fish or poultry dish, and a dessert or delicate item.

For the main dish, you can cook meat, potatoes, pasta, rice, stews, or soup. If you're cooking meat, consider wrapping it in foil with a slug of wine, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. For vegetables, you can steam artichokes, cabbage, carrots, baby courgettes, asparagus, Chinese leaves, mange tout, mushrooms, or peas. Just be mindful that different vegetables have different cooking times. For example, baby courgettes, asparagus, and mange tout cook quickly, so you'll only need to steam them for 3-5 minutes.

For the middle tier, you can cook foods with a medium to long cooking time. This is suitable for seafood like fish, oysters, and prawns, as well as chicken breasts and boneless chicken pieces. You can also add vegetables that have a moderate cooking time, such as green beans.

The top tier is ideal for items that need less steam and shorter cooking times. This could include delicate vegetables like Chinese leaves, mange tout, and mushrooms, as well as seafood like thin fillets and scallops.

Once you've gathered and prepared your ingredients, you can move on to the next step of using your 3-tier steamer.

What foods are suitable

A 3-tier steamer is a versatile cooking appliance that can be used to prepare a variety of dishes, from appetisers and main courses to side dishes and desserts. Here are some suitable foods and meal ideas for each tier of your steamer:

Tier 1:

• Seafood: Steam clams, mussels, or fish fillets like trout, salmon, tilapia, or cod.
• Meat: Try steaming meatballs, BBQ pork and pork and prawn wontons.
• Vegetables: Steam Asian greens like spinach with soy sauce, honey, and sesame dressing, or try pak choi, broccoli, green beans, peas, and leeks.

Tier 2:

• Seafood: Continue with seafood options like steamed clams, mussels, or fish with Asian flavours like ginger and spring onion, or teriyaki sauce.
• Meat: Steam BBQ pork and serve with pickled vegetables in Chinese bread rolls.
• Vegetables: Prepare a honey-mustard steamed green medley with broccoli, green beans, peas, and leeks.

Tier 3:

• Grains: Steam rice, including Thai jasmine rice, to accompany your seafood or meat dishes.
• Desserts: Create steamed puddings like chocolate and marmalade, chocolate-orange, or a classic jam sponge. For a twist, try a steamed chocolate, stout, and prune pudding.

How to clean the steamer

To clean a 3-tier steamer, you will need dish soap, baking soda, a sponge, and water. Here is a step-by-step guide:

• Fill all the pots with warm water and add dish soap.
• Place 3/4 cup of baking soda into the warm water.
• Scrub the pots with a sponge and rinse thoroughly with warm water.
• If you still have hard water stains, use a product like Bar Keepers Friend, or try vinegar or tomato sauce to remove discolouration.

You can also clean the outside of the steamer by following these steps:

• Unplug the machine.
• Wipe down the exterior with a damp washrag and warm water. If needed, add a few drops of white vinegar to the washrag for a more powerful clean.
• If your steamer has a hose attachment, detach it and flush it with water. You can do this outside with a garden hose, or in the kitchen sink or shower. Flush the hose until the water runs clear.
• Make a cleaning mixture of 1 1/2 ounces of baking soda and 4 cups of water. Pour this mixture into the water cup of the steamer.
• Let the cleaning solution sit for 3-4 hours.
• Remove the water cup and dump out the cleaning solution. Rinse the cup and ensure it is free of residue.
• Rinse the steamer with clean water. Pour water into the water cup and turn on the machine. Allow the water to rinse out the machine. Repeat this process until the water being rinsed out is no longer dirty.
• Wipe down the exterior of the steamer regularly, especially after each use.
• Store the steamer in a cool, dry place, and cover it with plastic to minimise dust.

Frequently asked questions