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Any vegetables, but be careful not to overcook them.
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Fruits such as apples, pears, Chinese pears, or even whole mandarin oranges can be sprinkled with a little sweetener (honey or sugar) and steamed until tender over medium heat for a lovely dessert.
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Sponge cake or butter cake batters can be steamed over high heat instead of baked, in deep cake tins tightly covered with foil.
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Bread dough, to make fluffy Chinese buns. Follow your recipe exactly.
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Prepared dishes that need reheating. Cover with foil before steaming.
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Steaming requires three things. First, something to hold the boiling water; second, something to support the food above the water; third, a cover to keep the steam in. In Asia, the multi-tiered woven bamboo basket placed on top of a large pot of boiling water is the most common arrangement, its layers allowing you to steam a lot of food simultaneously. Aluminium or stainless steel pots with nested stacking steam trays work on the same principle. They aren't as pretty, but are easier to clean, and unlike bamboo, aren't prone to mildew if used infrequently.
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In either case, choose a size of steamer to fit your stove, and buy at least two or three tiers- not counting the water pot - to begin with. Choose bamboo racks without metal fastenings, if possible, as these can rust. Make sure all the seams of your steamer, i.e. between the water pot and the tiers, the tiers themselves, and the tiers and the cover, are tight and secure so the minimum of steam escapes. Steamer covers should be dome-shaped for two reasons; the extra room allows steam to circulate, and condensing steam rolls down the inside of the dome rather than dripping onto the food. Bamboo covers actually reduce condensation by absorbing some steam.
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You can also steam food in a wok. All you need is a wire trivet that stands above the
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water level, that you set your dish of food on, and a snug wok cover.
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Tips
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1. Have a kettle of boiling water handy in case you need to replenish the water during steaming. Never top up with cold water as this reduces the flow of steam.
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2. Regulation of heat is crucial to successful steaming. High heat maintains a vigorous boil and a strong gush of steam. Medium heat creates a gentle rolling boil and a steady, gentle flow of steam.
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3. Use padded oven gloves, or large, sturdy tongs to remove containers from a steamer safely. Remember, steam can burn.
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4. There should be at least 3 cm of space around the rim of any dish placed in your steamer. To allow steam to circulate properly.
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5. Resist the temptation to lift the cover before the minimum cooking time is up, or your precious steam dissipate.
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