And as we talked about in our post about how to steam food in general, steaming is not only a great way to cook food, it’s also a great way to reheat it. Because steaming reintroduces moisture into food, it can be a great way to make your food fresh once again! We hope this article has shed some light on how to use a bamboo steamer, and why it’s such a useful cooking tool in an Asian (or any) kitchen. To clean your bamboo steamer, wash with a sponge and mild dish soap, and immediately rinse thoroughly. Our metal steamer works well but it does sometimes suffer from the problems noted above. Another reason I want to get a bamboo steamer is purely aesthetical – they simply look so cool, and are much more authentic if you plan on steaming Asian foods such as dim sum, dumplings or bao buns. We also very much like bamboo on Kitchen and Cook Shop as you can read here and here!

A bamboo steamer absorbs some of the water so condensation is less likely to drip on the cooked food Town 34210 Bamboo Steamer: This steamer arrived damaged, with the lid completely unusable, so we could not test it. Handsome double-banded construction makes the Hcooker 3-Tier Bamboo Steamer a durable set you'll have for years.Joyce Chen 2-Tier Bamboo Steamer Baskets: This steamer basket had off-center holes in the floors, and the two tiers and the lid were initially difficult to nest together and pull apart. After testing, the floor of the steamer warped and became uneven and the tiers were even more difficult to separate and put together. Do not put your bamboo steamer in the dishwasher. Do not soak it in water in the sink for more than 5 minutes. It's not necessary to soak your steamer before use. However, if you're worried about scorching the bottom rim, you can soak it in lukewarm water before cooking with it. The most important thing is to make sure that the boiling water won't touch the steamer base. How should I care for my bamboo steamer? Once you have the water level where you want it, you can line your bamboo steamer baskets. A bamboo steamer can have many levels. Ours has 3, and we may use 1, 2, or 3 at a time, depending on how much food we have to steam. In Chinese cooking, there is a distinction between high-heat and low-heat steaming. In practice, you can see this in action as you raise and lower the flame level: as you increase heat, there’s more steam generated. For certain delicate foods, like small dumplings or tender vegetables, low steam might be preferable; for steaming rice, a full head of steam might be more appropriate.

Norpro Bamboo Steamer: This bamboo steamer performed fine, but the weave on top of the lid seemed to be made of poor quality, and the uneven bamboo started to fray and split. A great value, Prime Home Direct 10-inch Two Tier Bamboo Steamer Baskets come with everything you need to start steaming but the food itself. Now, you can either preheat your water so that it’s simmering when you place the bamboo steamer into the wok or pan, or you can place the steamer into the wok/pan when the water is still cold and then turn on the heat to gradually bring up the temperature.Pros: Remains true to its heritage with regionally specific material and construction technique, available in nine sizes Line the steamer with a circle of lettuce leaves, oiled parchment or foil to prevent bamboo from absorbing flavours and odours. Leave at least 1.5cm space around the edges for the steam to enter.

In general, metal steamers get hotter than bamboo steamers and sometimes the bottom of the cooked items are a bit drySteaming food is easy enough with any pot and vented basket, but if your goal is pillowy mantou buns, juicy stuffed bao, flavorful whole fish, and tender-crisp vegetables family-style batches, a traditional Asian bamboo steamer is an affordable investment. Put your food into the steamer trays, taking care not to overload them and secure the lid on top. Place the steamer either inside a large wok or straddle it over a corresponding sized saucepan so that there are no gaps around the edge. Add sufficient water to the bottom of the wok or saucepan. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce to a medium heat to gently steam food. Keep a close eye on the water level and top up with boiling water when necessary. Carefully remove the steamer when food is cooked. Place the bamboo steamer into your wok (or another wide-rimmed, shallow pan, like a wide skillet), and fill it with enough water to come up above the bottom rim of the steamer by about a quarter inch to half an inch. After being used for 5,000 years, they're still made with skinned bamboo that's softened into pliability, shaped into a circle, and held permanently in place with bamboo nails or lashings. The bases are slatted to allow steam to rise and cook the food, the containers nestling into each other until you reach the top level — however high you choose to make it — where a domed, tightly woven lid seals the vapor in. Why should I use a bamboo steamer?