Steam cooking
Steam cooking is not a recent invention. In Asian and particularly Chinese cook
ing
,
delicate steam cooking has been practised for a long time. One of the advantages of
this type of cooking is that the foodstuffs do not remain in contact with the cooking
juices. Consequently, the vitamins and minerals are particularly well preserved, but
also the delicious taste of the food.
The principle of steam cooking is simple: by heating it up, water is transformed into
steam and transmits its heat to the food located in the cooking dish. Because the
food is not placed directly in boiling water, less is taken out of it. In other words, the
loss of mineral elements and vitamins is minimised. Consequently the taste of the
food is also better preserved than with any other cooking method. As a result,
seasoning with salt can be considerably reduced.
Additionally, steam cooking does not require the use of fats.
This therefore makes it
the ideal cooking method for those looking to enjoy healthy cookery. Even if steam
cooking is an extremely delicate method, the technique is the same as for other
cooking methods. The food must be prepared (especially vegetables) and then
washed, and finally cut into pieces just before steam cooking.
Steam cooking tips
Water is a liquid well adapted to steam cooking.
Fatty liquids such as stock or
sauces will stick and cling to the inside of the oven.
Sauces can be
subsequently prepared using the cooking juices, and the dish can then be sprinkled
with 2-3 tablespoons of white wine etc.
All foods
can be
slightly seasoned before steam cooking. It is not necessary to use a
great deal of salt as the taste of the food already comes to the fore during steam
cooking. Fresh herbs, finely chopped vegetables or marinades can also be used to
spice up dishes.
Leftover rice, pasta, potatoes and vegetables can be gently reheated using steam.
Dishes covered with sauces or stock can be given a new lease of life! The heating
time is between 10 and 20 minutes according to the dishes.
You can also use the steaming method to gently defrost certain frozen products.
Frozen vegetables, fish or meat can be defrosted directly by steam. Place the
ingredients as flat as possible on the cooking dish.
C
ooking tips
Caution! Take care when opening the appliance during the steam
cooking process. The steam given off is
hot and can burn you!
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