The food steamer, also referred to as the steam cooker is a resourceful appliance, which is used to prepare different food items in an air sealed container. Boiling water creates steam, which is used to prepare the food in the absence of oil and prevents loss of nutrients. Generally, a food steamer has two different compartments; one is used for boiling water and other is used for boiling food.
General Use of Food Steamer
Generally, a food steamer is utilized to steam food items like vegetables, rice, fish, and meat. The process of steaming food is a healthier substitute for cooking, as steamed food retains its crispness, nutrients, and color.
Types of Food Steamers
There are plenty of steamer types sold in the market, ranging from common bamboo to ultra-modern electronic steamers, designed with sensors. The size and shape of steamer cabin also differs widely.
Advantages of Food Steamers
Most of the cookers with steaming facility feature a juice catchment that permits all nutrients and minerals to be trapped. In the case of other cooking methods, minerals and nutrients are usually lost after baking, but, with the help of a food steamer you won’t lose the essential food qualities anymore.
Because of its exclusive health caring feature, it is also used in CRON-diet, macrobiotic-diet, Okinawa diet, the rawfood diet, and the Cuisine minceur. These food steamers evolve less heat in the kitchen’s environment. So with the help of this appliance, you can keep your kitchen cool even in hot summer.
The food steamer cooks healthier and delicious food, but it is not very expensive anymore; no wonder, the sales have increased drastically these days.
Precautions for Using a Food Steamer
Before placing food in to compartment of food steamer, make sure that the food is not mixed with water. One more thing you have to consider is food is not over baked. Follow all manufacturer safety precautions to avoid injuries due to high pressure steam.
How to Cook Chicken by Steam
Before steaming, chicken should be deboned to reduce cooking timings. With the help of food steamer, boneless chicken breasts can be especially cooked excellently. After deboning, place the chicken in steamer compartment. Based on thickness of chicken, steam it for appropriate time interval, and place a meat thermometer to know whether the meat is boiled or not.
Cooking Vegetables by Steam
It is very easy to steam vegetables with the help of food steamer. Vegetables like green beans, asparagus, cauliflower, and broccoli can be cooked within five minutes. Carrot, corn, and cabbage take some more time; nearly ten minutes to boil.
Cooking Fish by Food Steamers
Cooking fish is an effortless process, if you’ve got a food steamer at your disposal. Any fish can be cooked within ten minutes, but for this you have to do some manual tasks. Before cooking food, peel the fish and remove all the thorns inside it, and you won’t have to break a sweat; the steamer does the rest!