There are so many kitchen gadgets one can buy today that can make tedious cooking tasks a whole lot easier. One of those many gadgets is the intelligent steamer.
The intelligent steamer generates moist heat to cook or heat food. The heat comes from boiling water that becomes steam. The steam surrounds the whole pot and cooks the food in it.
Below are five food items you can cook with your food steamer.
1. Vegetables
It is one of the healthiest and most common food items you can cook in your food steamer. The good thing about steaming your vegetables is that you get to retain all their nutrients instead of boiling them, which washes all the healthy stuff away.
Some examples of vegetables you can steam are bok choy, sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, squash, corn, and frozen peas.
2. Fish
If you are fond of Japanese cuisine, you can use your steamer for cooking fresh fish. Add in some herbs and seasoning, and maybe lightly fry the fish in oil with salt, and you have yourself a delectable meal.
3. Shellfish and Shrimps
When you steam shellfish, you get to retain the tasty moisture on its skin. When you notice their skin peeling or cracking, you will know they are cooked. You will also know if shrimps are cooked if their colour turns dark pink or red. Mussels also open up when they are cooked.
4. Beef
When steaming beef, it’s best to go for tender and thin cuts. The cooking time for the meat is just the same as when you are roasting it. You will know it is cooked when the colour no longer resembles raw flesh. You can use a meat thermometer to determine whether the beef is already cooked. It should at least be 72 degrees Celsius.
5. Chicken
Steamed chicken is one of the best things you can cook on your food steamer. You can even add ginger and lemongrass in the stew pots for maximum flavour. You can also go for flavours like soy sauce or honey garlic. Steamed Hainanese chicken is almost a staple in countries like Singapore.
You can experiment with the whole array of chicken parts with your food steamer, from wings, thighs, to breasts and legs.
Again, keep your meat thermometer to determine if the insides of the chicken are genuinely cooked.
In conclusion, the intelligent steamer has a variety of uses. Other than cooking food, you can also use it instead of a microwave to heat, defrost, and reheat meals.
There’s a wide variety of things that can steam and cook with a steamer. A quick trip to the frozen food and produce section of the grocery will show you the choices you have.
A couple of notes about the steamer, make sure that the water below it does not deplete, so it steams properly. When using the device to cook, do not keep opening its lid to prevent loss of steam. It will also cause the dish to cook longer.
Having a steamer is excellent not only for your palate but also for you and your health.
