Steaming

Chinese-style steaming is truly a life-giving process. The natural tastes of fish and vegetables are preserved when steamed. Doughs become soft, light, and firm breads, dumplings, and crêpes when subjected to steam’s wet, penetrating heat. Food that is dry becomes moist; that which is shrunken, expands. Steaming bestows a glistening coat of moisture on foods.

It is an artful technique as well, because foods can be arranged in lovely ways within bamboo steamers, and once cooked, they can be served without being disturbed. Steaming requires virtually no oil, except that used to coat the bamboo reeds at the bottoms of the steamers, to prevent sticking. (Even a bamboo, lettuce, or cabbage leaf can be used as a liner, thus eliminating any need for oil.)