Steaming

Steaming is a very simple method of food preparation that produces moist, tender, delicately seasoned dishes. The Japanese steam fish, poultry, vegetables, egg custards and some rice-flour cakes. Little skill is required of the cook in steaming, but choice of equipment is important.

Steaming requires moist heat that circulates throughout the cooking vessel, and the food should never touch the liquid. So you’ll need to either purchase or improvise a steamer. The Japanese make both round and square steamers. Nearly all are made of aluminum, though some are golden-toned in appearance. They generally come in only one size (9½-inch diameter), though occasionally you will see a smaller one. Japanese steamers are a good investment and can be used for all kinds of steaming, but if you want to improvise, here are a few suggestions.