Steaming: Method and Recipes
As the term implies, steaming involves suspending food over simmering or boiling water and cooking it with the resulting steam. Steaming as a method is valued for the fact that it preserves vitamins and minerals in the food that might otherwise be washed away with boiling. It is also a way to cut back on fat, since none is needed, unlike sauteing or grilling.
The simplest way to steam food is to place a steaming basket in a saucepan over about an inch or two of water. Place the seasoned food to be steamed in the basket, cover it with a lid and bring the water to a slow boil. Most foods will finish cooking in anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes.
Many vegetables are ideal for steaming, as are fillets of fish and many types of shellfish. Tougher cuts of meat are not as good for steaming since they need more cooking time to get tender. But chicken breasts do well.
Chinese bamboo steamers are ideal for the task. They can be placed in a wok or over a pot they fit tightly. Bamboo steamers come in a range of sizes and are used for dim sum like steamed, filled buns, siu mai and potstickers, and for fish and seafood and even whole chickens and ducks. Make sure to clean your bamboo steamer well and let it thoroughly air dry.
Asians like to steam rice, although this is usually done in rice cookers made just for the purpose.
Latin American cuisine also makes use of steaming foods. Mexican tamales, Venezuelan hallacas, Nicaraguan nacatamales, and Bolivian humitas are all steamed. Mexicans use a large pot with a built-in steaming platform called a tamalera.
Steaming Recipes
Baho
(Nicaraguan beef, plantains and yuca steamed in banana leaves)
Baho, or vaho, is one of the cornerstones of Nicaraguan cuisine. Beef, plantains and yuca (cassava) are wrapped in banana leaves and steamed over water in a large pot. Baho is food for a Sunday afternoon. Start the recipe on Saturday by marinating the meat. Vaho means "mist" in Spanish and evokes the unique cooking method for this hearty meal. Read more »
Bao
(Chinese steamed, filled buns)
Bao, also known as baozi, are pillowy, soft buns that are either steamed or baked. They come with a variety of fillings and are a common item in dim sum shops. Bao are a favorite breakfast or mid-morning snack. Read more »
Cranberry Pudding
(American steamed Christmas pudding)
This steamed pudding is popular on the American Christmas table. Flame it with rum and serve it with eggnog sauce for an extra treat. Read more »
Khao Niao Mamuang
(Thai sweet coconut rice with mangoes)
This luscious dessert is a form of rice pudding that is paired with mangos at the peak of their ripeness. Sweet and rich, khao niao mamuang is a favorite way to finish any Thai meal. Read more »
Law Bok Gow
(Chinese steamed radish cake)
Law bok gow is a favorite Cantonese dim sum treat, especially popular during Chinese New Year celebrations. Usually called daikon, turnip or radish cake in English, it is really more of a savory pudding. The recipe below is very basic, but law bok gow is normally studded with savory garnishes and lightly fried on both sides until golden brown. Sometimes spelled lo bark goh. Read more »
Nacatamales
(Honduran, Nicaraguan meat and vegetable-filled tamales)
Nacatamales, are popular steamed corncakes from Nicaragua and Honduras. They are similar to Mexican tamales but are larger, filled with meat and vegetables and steamed in banana leaves. Nacatamales are special occasion food and are most often served as a Sunday morning meal or at Christmas, weddings and other large celebrations. Read more »
Nasu
(Japanese steamed, sliced eggplant)
This dish can be served as part of an assortment of sashimi. Sashimi is normally made with raw fish, but this is a delightful vegetarian substitute with an interesting texture. Read more »
Siu Mai
(Chinese steamed pork and shrimp dumplings)
Siu mai (SHOO-my), or shaomai, are popular little steamed dumplings from southeastern China. They are sold by shops as a quick snack food or from carts in dim sum restaurants as part of a larger menu selection. Read more »
Tamales de Elote
(Central American fresh corncakes)
Tamales de elote are a favorite breakfast food in Mexico and throughout Central America. In El Salvador and Guatemala they are often served as the starchy portion of a meal. The fresh elote, or corn, used in Central America has a higher starch content than that in the United States, but the addition of masa harina in this recipe produces a very good approximation of the original. Read more »
Tamales de Pollo
(Mexican steamed corncakes with chicken)
Tamales are a staple of Central American cuisine. At their simplest, they are masa corn dough wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves and steamed in a large pot — the tamalera. Most tamales have some sort of stuffing. There are thousands of varieties of tamales, and each region has its own specialty. This simple recipe makes tamales stuffed with chicken in tomatillo sauce. Feel free to experiment with your own stuffings. Read more »
