How to Use a Bamboo Steamer: 4 Tips for Steaming Food

A bamboo steamer is a piece of cookware that steams food using hot water. Slats in the bamboo basket allow steam to rise, evenly cooking food. These types of steamers are circular with a flat top and bottom so that cooks can stack multiple steamer baskets on top of each other. Bamboo steamers are most common in Chinese cuisine for steaming dumplings and other dim sum dishes.

You can use a bamboo steamer in your kitchen to steam dumplings, vegetables, fish fillets, chicken, sticky rice, or even reheat food. Follow these steps to use a bamboo steamer:

1. 1. Prepare a rimmed pan. You can use any kind of rimmed pan, such as a saucepan or wok. The pan should be big enough so that there is some space between the sides of the steamer basket and the inside lip of the pan.
2. 2. Fill the pan with a couple inches of water. Ensure there is enough water to touch the bottom rim of the steamer, but not too much that it will contact the food. The water will prevent the bamboo steamer from scorching.
3. 3. Place food items into the steamer. Gently place your food items in a flat layer on the bottom of the steamer.
4. 4. Bring water to a boil. Place the bamboo steamer basket on top of simmering water and cover the basket with the lid.
5. 5. Check the water level. Let the steam rise and circulate around the food until the food is done, according to recipe directions. Periodically check the water level to make sure it hasn’t boiled off completely, and add boiling water as needed.

Consider the following tips for preparing food items in a bamboo steamer:

1. 1. Stack multiple bamboo steamers. You can stack multiple bamboo steamer baskets to cook multiple food items simultaneously. Place food with a longer cooking time in the bottom layer closest to the heat. Cover the top steamer basket with the lid.
2. 2. Leave space in the steamer. Avoid overcrowding the food to prevent the items from sticking together or undercooking in places. Leave an inch of space between the food items to ensure proper air circulation.
3. 3. Line the steamer basket. Line the steamer with wax paper or parchment paper to keep food items from sticking to the steamer basket. You can also use cabbage leaves, banana leaves, lettuce leaves, and other veggie leaves as a liner. Alternatively, you can put food in heatproof bowls and place the bowls into the bamboo steamer.
4. 4. Hand wash the steamer. Hand wash the bamboo steamer with dish soap and water. Let the steamer air dry completely before putting it away in the cupboard to prevent the formation of mold and mildew.

Bamboo steamers tend to take a long time to dry and can take on the smell of the food items. You can purchase circular metal steamers that you can use the same way as bamboo steamers. Stainless steel steamer baskets are dishwasher safe.

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