Steaming Basics: Techniques And Tips For Beginners

Steaming is a moist-heat cooking method that uses hot steam generated from water to cook food. It is a gentle and healthy way to cook, helping food retain its nutrition, colour and texture. It is also a versatile technique that can be applied to almost any cuisine.

To steam food, you will need a steamer basket or a pot with a steaming insert. Fill a pot with 1-2 inches of water, place the steamer basket or insert over the pot, add the food, cover the pot, and turn on the heat to medium-low.

There are many benefits to steaming food. It is a quick and easy way to cook, and it also preserves the nutritional content of food, making it a healthy option for those looking to manage their weight. Additionally, steamed food is often low in fat and calories.

So, why not give steaming a try? It's a simple and tasty way to prepare your favourite foods!

How to steam vegetables

Steaming is a great way to cook vegetables, preserving their flavour, colour, and nutrients. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to steam vegetables:

What You'll Need:

• A steamer basket or steamer pan
• A saucepan or pot
• Vegetables of your choice (e.g. broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, carrots)
• Olive oil or butter
• Kosher salt or other seasonings (optional)

Step-by-Step Guide:

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables

Chop the vegetables into uniform, bite-sized pieces. This helps them cook evenly. Remember, the thicker the vegetable, the longer it will take to cook.

Step 2: Set Up the Steamer

Add about 1 inch (2-2.5 cm) of water to the bottom of the saucepan or pot. Place the steamer basket inside the pot, making sure the water level is just below the basket.

Step 3: Steam the Vegetables

Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, carefully add the chopped vegetables to the steamer basket. Cover the pot with a lid and steam until the vegetables are tender. The cooking time will vary depending on the type of vegetable. As a reference, broccoli typically takes 3-5 minutes, green beans and carrots 4-5 minutes, and cauliflower 10-12 minutes. Always taste test to ensure they are cooked to your preference.

Step 4: Season and Serve

Remove the steamed vegetables from the steamer and place them in a bowl. You can now season them with olive oil or butter, kosher salt, and any other desired seasonings like fresh herbs, lemon juice, or spices.

Additional Tips:

• Avoid overcooking the vegetables, as this can lead to a soggy and bland result.
• You can steam frozen vegetables directly from the freezer. They may take a little longer to cook, but steaming preserves their texture and nutrients.
• If you don't have a steamer basket, you can use a heat-proof colander, a bowl covered with cling wrap, or even a microwave-safe bowl with a little water and a plate on top.

How to steam fish

Steaming is a great way to cook fish, especially white fish, as it is a delicate method that won't dry out the flesh. It's also one of the healthiest ways to cook, as it doesn't require any added fat.

Choosing a Steamer

First, you'll need to select a steamer. You can use a steamer insert for a saucepan or rice cooker, a three-piece stainless-steel steamer, a steaming trivet for a wok, or a bamboo steamer, which is cheap and suitable for all types of steamed food.

Choosing a Fish

When it comes to the fish, choose a mild-flavoured, delicate white fish that falls apart into large flakes when cooked, such as cod, haddock, perch, sea bass, halibut, tilapia, snapper or flounder. Oily fish like salmon or mackerel are not ideal. Look for fillets that are uniform in colour with shiny, firm flesh and a delicate ocean-like smell (not a strong fishy scent).

Preparing the Fish

Place the fish on a plate and drizzle with a marinade or seasoning of your choice. You can use a combination of Chinese rice wine, salt, pepper, scallions, ginger, coconut aminos, soy sauce, chilli, or herbs and spices. Leave the fish to marinate in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.

Setting Up the Steamer

Half-fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil over a high heat. If using a bamboo steamer, cover the base with 1-2 cabbage leaves. Place the fish on the leaves and drizzle with any remaining marinade. Put the steamer on top of the saucepan, making sure the water isn't touching it, and adjust the heat so that the water is just boiling.

Cooking the Fish

Cover the steamer and steam the fish for 8-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Thicker fillets will need more time, while thinner fillets will need less. The fish is done when it is opaque and starting to flake.

Serving the Fish

Carefully remove the fish from the steamer and transfer it to a serving plate. You can sprinkle the fish with herbs or sliced spring onions and serve with your choice of vegetables and rice. For an extra touch of flavour, drizzle the fish with hot oil, lemon juice, or sesame oil.

How to steam dumplings

Steaming dumplings is a great way to cook a big batch in a short amount of time. It's also a healthier cooking method that allows you to taste the flavour of the juicy filling inside. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to steam dumplings:

Step 1: Prepare the Dumplings

Before steaming, you need to prepare the dumpling filling and assemble the dumplings. You can make the filling with ingredients like tempeh, shiitake mushrooms, tamari, scallions, ginger, sesame oil, and sriracha. You can then scoop a heaping teaspoon of the filling into the centre of a dumpling wrapper, dab the edges with water, and seal the wrapper by folding it in half. Repeat this process until you have assembled all your dumplings.

Step 2: Prepare the Steamer

You can use a bamboo steamer, metal steamer, or a pan with a cover/steam rack. If using a bamboo steamer, fill a wok or pot with enough water to come up about 1 cm up the sides of the steamer. For a metal steamer or pan/steam rack setup, ensure there's enough water to simmer for 10 minutes without drying out, without touching the dumplings.

Step 3: Line the Steamer

It's important to line your steamer to prevent the dumplings from sticking. You can use steamer parchment paper, regular parchment paper cut into a round shape with some holes, or leaves of Napa cabbage. If using a metal steamer, you can also brush a thin layer of oil.

Step 4: Place the Dumplings in the Steamer

Place the dumplings about 1 inch apart in the steamer, giving them room to expand.

Step 5: Steam the Dumplings

Bring the water in the steamer/wok to a boil. Once boiling, place the dumplings in the steamer, cover, and steam on medium to medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes. The water should be simmering enough to generate steam without vigorously boiling and touching the dumplings.

Step 6: Serve the Dumplings

Let the steamed dumplings sit in the steamer for a minute before serving, as they tend to be a little sticky. Enjoy them while they're still warm, as the wrappers can become harder and more rubbery when completely cold. You can serve them with a simple dipping sauce like black rice vinegar and homemade chilli oil, or other sauces like Chinese black vinegar.

How to steam eggs

Steaming is a great way to cook eggs, resulting in a more tender egg white and a creamier yolk. It's also a more gentle cooking method, which means less risk of cracking the eggshells and a more precise, even cook. Here's how to do it:

Prepare Your Equipment

Firstly, decide whether you are using a steamer basket or not. If you are, fill a saucepan with around 1 inch of water so that it reaches the bottom of the steamer basket. If you're not using a steamer basket, just fill the bottom of a saucepan with around 0.5 inches of water.

Heat the Water

Place your pan on the hob and heat the water on high until it is boiling and producing steam.

Add the Eggs

Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and gently place your eggs into the steamer basket or directly into the pan if you're not using a basket. If you're using a basket, place it back into the pan. Turn the heat back on to medium-high and cover the pan with a lid.

Steam the Eggs

The length of time you steam the eggs for will depend on how you like your eggs cooked. For soft-boiled eggs, steam for around 6 minutes. For hard-boiled eggs with a still translucent and bright yolk, steam for 10 minutes. For cooked-through hard-boiled eggs, steam for 12-15 minutes. If you have stacked your eggs in the pan, you may need to add a couple of minutes to the cooking time.

Cool the Eggs

Once the eggs are cooked, remove them from the pan and place them into a bowl of icy cold water to cool them down quickly.

Peel the Eggs

If serving cold, you can now peel the eggs. First, gently tap the eggs all over to crack the shell, then remove the shell under a thin stream of running water. The water will help to get under the shell and lift it off the egg.

How to steam without a steamer

Steaming is a moist-heat cooking method where boiling water evaporates into steam, which is trapped in a pot with a tight-fitting lid to create a hot environment to cook food. While steamers come in a few different shapes and sizes, you can steam without a steamer by using items you may already have in your kitchen.

Using a Large Pot, a Heatproof Plate, and Aluminium Foil

First, take three sheets of aluminium foil and roll them into balls about the size of a golf ball or a baseball. Place them at the bottom of a large pot and pour in about half an inch to an inch of water. Then, rest a heatproof plate on top of the foil balls and add the food you want to steam to the plate. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and steam.

Using a Wire Cooling Rack

If you have an elevated wire cooling rack, you can use it in place of a steamer basket. Add an inch of water to a pot with a tight-fitting lid, place the wire cooling rack in the pan, and put the food on top of the rack. Then, close the lid and steam to your desired level of doneness.

Using a Disposable Aluminium Pie Pan

You can also use a disposable aluminium pie pan, which is available at most grocery stores. Poke several holes into the bottom of the pan, place it upside down into a pot filled with about an inch of water, and put the food on top of the inverted pan. The edges of the pan will keep the food from touching the water, and the food will rest comfortably on the flat surface.

Using a Microwave

Place your food in a microwave-safe bowl and add a few tablespoons of water. Cover the bowl tightly with microwave-safe plastic wrap, making sure that the plastic does not touch the food. Then, microwave for 4-6 minutes until the food is tender.

Frequently asked questions