Definition: The third main Chinese cooking technqiue, steaming is also the healthiest. Steaming consists of cooking food by setting it above a hot, boiling liquid, and letting the steam from the liquid literally cook the food.

Traditionally, Chinese food is steamed in a round basket made of bamboo that is set in a wok filled with boiling water. The advantage of this system is that the bamboo baskets can be stacked one on top of the other, meaning several dishes can be cooked at once.

This method is often used with dim sum dishes. However, you can use other types of steamers to cook Chinese food, such as a metal sieve placed in a saucepan half-filled with boiling water.

Two steaming tips: when steaming, make sure that the water never touches the food - let the steam do all the cooking. Second, if you're using the traditional bamboo basket, line it with a few leaves of cabbage (preferably Napa cabbage) before steaming. This keeps the food from sticking to the basket.

Written by Rhonda Parkinson 

Also Known As: steam cooking

Examples: Recipes Where Steaming is the Main Cooking Technique - appetizers, main meals and side dishes, desserts

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