To cook food by steaming is an ancient Chinese cookery technique, which is achieved using a steamer constructed in one of the following ways:
Using a wok set and a stand: sit a wok on its stand on top of the burner. Put a stand (a metal trivet or a bamboo basket, etc.) in the centre of the wok. Put the food to be steamed in a shallow heatproof dish, so that the juices are retained in the dish when the food is cooked, thus preserving its goodness and taste. Place the dish on the stand. Now fill the wok with boiling water to within about 2.5 cm (1 in) of the base of the dish in order to prevent the bubbling water from getting into the dish and spoiling the food. Cover the wok with its lid, turn up the heat and maintain it at the same intensity to ensure that plenty of steam rises from the boiling water and circulates inside the covered wok to cook the food. If the food is to be steamed for a long time, be sure to replenish the water from time to time. Refrain from lifting the wok cover unnecessarily, however, for every time you do so steam escapes and you will need to steam the food for a longer period in order to make sure it is cooked.
