Steaming

All the secrets to DELICIOUS steaming!

Steaming! Let’s face it: this way of cooking offers many benefits for our food. The main one? It allows our food to retain much more of its flavor and valuable nutrients. What’s more, steaming keeps fats at bay (unless we decide otherwise) and helps us create wonderful dishes in no time. So, let’s harness the power of steam to create delicious, healthy dishes. You’ll find the “why” and “how” in the lines that follow…

Why cook with steam?

This way, we can ensure our bodies get more vitamins, minerals, and trace elements, since cooking time is shorter and the whole process is gentler on the food and… our stomachs. You see, the food retains its moisture (or at least much of it) and becomes delicious and juicy without us having to add extra fats. This makes it lighter and, in turn, much easier to digest.

Cooking without mistakes or… mishaps

The power of steam gives us this way of cooking. What does that mean? First, our food doesn’t need any special handling before cooking begins. Second, while it’s cooking, we don’t need to keep an eye on it, since it won’t burn. Finally, cooking time is greatly reduced, as in many cases the process is completed very quickly (in as little as 5 minutes to half an hour)!

What foods can we steam?

Let’s start with greens and vegetables. They can all be steamed easily, quickly, deliciously and -above all- healthily. Cooking times vary depending on the type of vegetable. They start at 5 minutes and can take up to 15-20 minutes, depending on whether we like them… crunchy or not. Fish can also be steamed (it takes 5 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness, while a whole fish takes about 15 minutes), as can seafood (allow about 5 minutes for shrimp), chicken and turkey (both are ready in about 15-20 minutes), and of course our fillets (both pork and beef, which take 15-20 minutes to cook). The key to effective cooking and getting the timing right? Don’t keep opening and closing the pot lid, or all the steam will escape (and we’ll have to start all over again).

How do we steam food?

There are two ways: The first is, of course, with a food steamer. This electrical appliance lets us cook not just one, but many more dishes, all equally delicious, juicy and nutritious. You can find various models on the market, usually with two to four different tiers, as well as additional sections for certain foods, such as rice and eggs.

The second method is more… versatile. What does that mean? You simply need a stainless steel colander that fits on top of the pot. The key requirement? The cookware must fit the pot perfectly so its lid can close completely. Of course, you can find pots that come with all these special baskets, so you can avoid experimenting.

After all that, give me one reason why anyone shouldn’t try steaming. There isn’t one! I’m looking forward to your comments, ideas and -of course- photos of the recipes you make!