What is steaming (food)?

Steaming is a cooking method that uses the steam from water under varying degrees of pressure. Low pressure cooking is food cooked either direct contact with the steam or an indirect contact. High pressure steaming, on the other hand is done when steam is not allowed to escape the cooking equipment that increases the temperature and pressure build-up that reduces cooking time. 2. What is a bamboo steamer?A bamboo steamer is a round wooden cookware made from bamboo with a lattice for a bottom and a snug top. It is placed on a wok or a pan with water and the food is cooked inside the bamboo steamer. It can also be stacked on top of one another to enable food to be cooked simultaneously. The holes under the bamboo steamer are what cook the food inside of it in low pressure cooking. 3. Brief history of bamboo steam in Asia? The first bamboo steamer was developed in China where ovens are not a common sight.In Asian cuisine, as opposed to Western cuisine, rice, not bread is their staple, a nd therefore, the idea of using an oven is not a common one. As a substitute, to be able to cook their breads, they developed the steamer which is commonly used in cooking steamed cakes such as the siopao. 4. Healthy and Efficient Advantages of steamed food with a Bamboo Steamer As already stated earlier, the bamboo steamer can be stacked on top of one another making cooking large amounts of food more quickly to accomplish.It is also designed to fit in any wok and could also fit in pans so no special equipment is needed to use them. The bamboo also helps to absorb excess moisture to keep the food from becoming soggy and retains heat. Health benefits of cooking with a bamboo steamer include being able to cook the food without using any sort of fat, oils, or butter, retaining its healthy properties and appears fresh and vibrant, and its naturally antibacterial properties. 5.How to care for your bamboo steamer? In cleaning the bamboo steamer, mild soap should be used along with warm wa ter to prevent any damages. After washing, the bamboo steamer should be thoroughly drained and dried before it is put away to prevent molds from accumulating. Also, bamboo steamers should never be put in the dishwasher and as much as possible, direct food to steamer contact should be avoided (this can be done with the use of parchment paper or lettuce).Removing food bits that get stuck to the steamer should be removed with a nylon scrubber 6. Other uses for bamboo steamer (favor box, centerpiece†¦)? Uses for the bamboo steamer include: †¢ Centerpiece †¢ Dim Sum and Food Steaming †¢ Tamales †¢ Pie Carrier †¢ Gift Box †¢ Wedding Favors †¢ Heating food †¢ Steam-Dye Fabrics †¢ Pet Treat Basket †¢ Food Basket Reference: http://www. gourmetsleuth. com/Articles/Unique-Cooking-Tools-641/bamboo-steamer. aspx http://www. wisegeek. com/what-are-bamboo-steamers. htm