Cooking With A Food Steamer

The tasty benefits of fresh vegetables, proteins and rice are just a few minutes away from the table when cooking with a food steamer. When most foods are boiled, fried or baked, many of their nutrients are cooked out in the process. By applying steam to food as a means to cook it, much of the nutritional value of the food is retained. Another plus to this method of food preparation is that food steamers are generally inexpensive.

When most people think about what foods are cooked in a food steamer, vegetables are the first things that come to mind. However, food steamers are quite diverse and can cook a variety of foods. In fact, many food steamers come equipped with segmented baskets that allow more than one item to be cooked at a time. Here are some useful tips for cooking with a food steamer.

It is important to have the proper balance of water in the steamer. Most food steamer instruction manuals describe the amount of water necessary. When steaming vegetables, place them in the steaming bowl or basket and add seasonings as desired. Place the cover on the steamer, making sure that it fits securely. Depending on the amount of vegetables, and the type, steaming should take between five to 15 minutes. For example, broccoli, cauliflower and green beans will typically steam in five minutes. Check your vegetables often by sticking a fork in them until they reach the desired consistency. Be careful of escaping steam, as it can burn.

Cooking fish in a food steamer is a snap. Simply place fish fillets in a single layer in the steamer and cook over steam for 10 minutes per 1-inch fillet. Cooking times will vary based on the size of the fillet; however, most fish is cooked perfectly when it can be flaked with a fork

Cooking rice in a food steamer is the preferred way to prepare it. Depending on the type of rice, cooking times will vary. To cook rice, first rinse it, drain it, and then soak it for 30 minutes. Add the appropriate amount of water into the bottom of the steamer. Typically, when steaming rice in a food steamer, 1 1/2 cups of water is used per 1 cup of rice. Place the rice bowl into the steamer and add the rice. Add salt, pepper, or butter, if desired. 1 cup of white rice normally takes around 15 to 20 minutes to steam. 1 cup of brown rice takes a little longer, at approximately 25 to 30 minutes.