Steaming helps preserve the natural flavor of foods cooked in a steamer. Would you like to taste the true taste of rice, couscous, eggs, fruits, chicken and fish? All of these dishes taste great when steamed.
Using a steamer is ideal for busy people.
A set lunch can be prepared without spending time on supervision, without the risk of overcooking, i.e. you can calmly go about your business. Different foods can be cooked at the same time using one or more baskets, this saves time and electricity compared to the conventional cooking method... and you are guaranteed to get delicious food balanced menu.
Types of steaming
- Do not pack food too tightly into the steamer. Leave a little space for more steam to circulate.
- Use pieces of meat that are approximately the same size as the size and thickness of the product will increase cooking time. If the pieces are different sizes and need to be layered, place the smallest pieces on top.
- Do not open the lid frequently to monitor the cooking process, as... this promotes steam loss and can prolong cooking time.
- To give meat, fish and poultry a delicious and juicy taste, it is necessary to marinate for several hours before cooking in a steamer.
- Frozen vegetables can be thawed in a steamer. Everything: fish, poultry and meat must be thawed before cooking in a double boiler.
- Rinse fruits and vegetables with a little water to avoid loss of vitamins and mineral salts.
Cooking time table
- The cooking time is indicated approximate, it depends on the size of the product being prepared, on the distances between it in separate parts, from the total mass of products, from individual preferences, as well as from the network voltage. Cooking foods with different steaming times: Place the largest piece or the product that requires the longest cooking time in the lower steam basket. Then, while cooking, add items that require less cooking time to the second and third baskets.
- At the beginning of cooking, press the “Vitamin+” button to speed up the cooking time and preserve the maximum amount of vitamins.
| Fish · seafood | Weight | Cooking time | ||
| Thin fish fillet | Do not stack fish fillets on top of each other |
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| Frozen. | ||||
| Thick fillet or tenderloin | ||||
| Whole fish | ||||
| Do not eat unopened shellfish |
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| Shrimps | Cooking to taste |
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| Scallops | Cooking to taste |
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| Meat Poultry | ||||
| Chicken breasts (boneless) | Slices | |||
| Chicken legs | ||||
| Turkey escalope | Cooking to taste |
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| Pork fillet | Cut 1 cm. cubes |
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| Lamb tenderloin | ||||
| Sausages | Smoked | Cooking to taste |
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| Pierce before cooking |
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| Vegetables | ||||
| Cut off the root part |
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| Broccoli | ||||
| Frozen. | ||||
| Celery | Cut into cubes or strips |
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| Cut off the stems and rinse well |
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| Cauliflower | 1 medium | Divide into small florets |
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| Cabbage (red, white) | Cut into slices or crumble |
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| Cut into slices |
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| Cut into slices |
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| Frozen. | ||||
| Green peas | Cut into slices |
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| Frozen. | ||||
| Cut into thin slices |
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| Corn cobs | Cooking to taste |
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| Leek | Cut thinly |
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| Cut into wide strips |
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| Ripe potatoes | Cut into slices or cubes |
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| Whole new potatoes | Cooking time depends on size and variety |
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| Small pieces of onion | Cooking to taste |
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| Rice · cereals · pasta | Product quantity | Product quantity | Water time | |
| White long grain rice | Rinse rice before cooking. Pour boiling water into the rice bowl. |
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| White round rice | ||||
| White rice instant cooking | ||||
| Pre-fill with boiling water for 5 minutes. |
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| Pour boiling water over |
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| Spaghetti (pasta) | Pour boiling water over |
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| Other products | Product type | Quantity | Time | |
| Grease the molds well |
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| Reheating food | ||||
| Spaghetti | ||||
RECIPES:
Asparagus and Egg Salad
For 4 persons
Preparation: 15min.
Time: 15min.
Ingredients: 200gr. fresh green asparagus, 200g. fresh white asparagus, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon basil vinegar, chopped chervil.
Preparation: Place the asparagus on the rack of the bowl and cook for 15 minutes. Hard boil the eggs for 18 minutes, placing the eggs in the egg wells. Cool and peel. Refuel olive oil and basil vinegar, add chopped hard-boiled eggs. Divide the two types of asparagus among plates, pour over the French sauce and sprinkle with chopped chervil. Serve.
Egg and smoked salmon salad
For 4 persons
Preparation: 10min.
Time: 10-12min.
Ingredients: 4 eggs, 120g. smoked salmon, 20g. butter, 4 teaspoons of heavy cream, pepper.
Preparation: Cut the smoked salmon into small cubes and divide into 4 ramekins. Break one egg into each mold and cook for 10-12 minutes in a steam bowl. Lightly pepper the cream. Place one teaspoon of cream on each egg. Serve with bread toast.
Rabbit with prunes
For 4 persons
Preparation: 30min. + 6 hours marinating
Time: 1 hour 20 min.
Ingredients: 2 rabbit legs, 300g. pork fillet, 100g. chicken liver, 8 prunes, 2 eggs, 1 chopped onion, 15g. salt, pepper, spice mixture, 50ml. cognac, 50ml. Madeira wines.
Preparation: Cut the rabbit and pork meat into large cubes and marinate for 6 hours with chopped onion, salt, spices, cognac and wine. Grind the meat through a meat grinder, add beaten eggs and marinade. Mix well. Place meat and prunes in an even layer in a greased pan. Cover cling film and cook for 1 hour 20 minutes. Serve.
Spring salad
For 4 persons
Preparation: 30min.
Time: 20min.
Ingredients: 150gr. carrots, 100g. mango pulp, 2 potatoes, 2 zucchini, 150g. cauliflower, 100ml. olive oil, juice of one lemon, chopped and salted herbs.
Preparation: Peel the potatoes and carrots. Peel the mango. Break cauliflower into small pieces. Cut carrots, potatoes, zucchini into cubes. Cut into fine strips. Place all the chopped vegetables in a steam bowl and cook for 20 minutes. Place vegetables in a dish, sprinkle with chopped herbs. Serve with warm French sauce made with olive oil and lemon juice.
Pork with dried apricots and raisins
For 4 persons
Preparation: 15min.
Time: 10 + 12-15 min.
Ingredients: 500gr. pork fillet, cut into thick pieces, 1 small head of red cabbage, finely chopped, 1 large onion, finely chopped, 150g. dried apricots, cut into small cubes, 75g. raisins, 1 tbsp brown sugar, ½ spoon of spices, 1 head of garlic, seasoned, salt and pepper.
Preparation: Mix all ingredients together except pork. Place half of the shredded cabbage in the lower bowl of the steamer, half in the middle bowl. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Place the pork fillet in the upper basket. Cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the meat and cabbage are cooked through. Immediately after cooking, rinse the condensate container from cabbage residues.
Pork fillet with pepper
For 4 persons
Preparation: 15min.
Time: 12min.
Ingredients: 400gr. pork fillet, 5 peppercorns, salt.
For the sauce: 200ml. sour cream, 50 ml. Madeira, 1 tbsp tomato paste, salt.
Preparation: Cut the fillet into 8 pieces, add salt and pepper with chopped round pepper. Cook in a double boiler for 12 minutes. Mix sour cream with tomato paste, Madeira and salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Place the pork fillet on a plate and pour the sauce on top.
Warm tuna and bean salad
For 4 persons
Preparation: 15min.
Time: 12-15 min.
Ingredients: 450gr. tuna steaks, 1 tbsp. spoon of oil, 1 head of garlic, squeezed, ½ cucumber, 1 red onion, thinly sliced, 420g. red canned beans(drain liquid), 2 tomatoes (cut into thin slices, washed lettuce leaves, 5 tablespoons of French sauce.
Preparation: Remove the skin from the tuna steaks and cut into pieces. Place the tuna in the lower and middle bowls of the steamer. Cook for 12-15 minutes. Prepare the salad. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the garlic and onion for 5 minutes. Place lettuce leaves on plates. Cut the cucumber into slices and then into halves. Mix cucumber, onion, garlic, beans and tomatoes. Drizzle French sauce on top. Mound onto lettuce leaves, then scatter around the tuna pieces and serve warm.
Thick salmon steak with asparagus
For 2 persons
Preparation: 20min.
Time: 10-12min.
Ingredients: 2 salmon steaks, 200g each. each, 500g. green asparagus, 1 natural yogurt, 1 tbsp. spoon of regular mustard, 20g. butter, juice from ½ lemon, salt and pepper.
Preparation: Trim the ends of the asparagus stalks and rinse them well. Place the asparagus on the rack of the upper steamer bowl. Salt the salmon steaks, sprinkle with lemon juice and place on the rack of the lower steamer bowl. Cook asparagus and salmon for 10-12 minutes. In a saucepan, heat the yogurt, mustard, salt and pepper, stirring all the time (do not let the mixture boil). Then mix with butter. Place the fish on a platter, pour the sauce on top and garnish with cooked asparagus sprouts.
Chicken legs in Spanish
For 4 persons
Preparation: 20min.
Time: 15 +15 + 5min.
Ingredients: 4 chicken legs, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and sweet pepper, 4 ripe peeled tomatoes, 2 washed zucchini, 1 teaspoon frozen chopped herbs, 12 black olives.
Preparation: Heat 1 tbsp. spoon of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the chicken on all sides to form a golden brown crust. Then place the chicken in the lower bowl of the steamer. Salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. At this time, cut the peeled tomatoes into cubes. Cut the zucchini into thick slices and cut the pepper into strips. Place vegetables and herbs in a medium steamer bowl. Cover with a lid and cook for another 15 minutes. 5 minutes before the end of cooking, add olives to the vegetables. Serve chicken on warmed plates with vegetables.
Chicken breast with tarragon
For 4 persons
Preparation: 10min.
Time: 20-25min.
Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts(120g.), 2 tbsp. tablespoons chopped tarragon, 200 ml. sour cream, pepper, salt.
Preparation: Salt and pepper the chicken breasts and sprinkle with finely chopped tarragon. Place the chicken breasts on the grill and cook for 20-25 minutes. Mix sour cream with the remaining tarragon, add salt and pepper. Cut the chicken breasts into slices, place on a plate and pour tarragon sauce on top.
Zucchini leaves stuffed with tomatoes
For 4 persons
Preparation: 20min.
Time: 5 + 20 + 10 min.
Ingredients: 4 sheets of white zucchini, 250g. sausages, 300g. tomatoes, 2 onions, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 head of garlic, pepper, salt.
Preparation: Wash the squash leaves. Place the leaves in the lower bowl and the tomatoes in the upper bowl. Cook for 5 minutes. Cool tomatoes and leaves. Cut the sausages into 4 pieces and place one piece of sausage in the middle of each squash leaf. Fold the leaves into an envelope. Place the squash leaves on the grill and cook for 20 minutes. Peel the tomatoes and chop finely. Place the oil and finely chopped onion and garlic in a saucepan and simmer. Add tomatoes. Add salt. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Serve stuffed squash leaves with cooked tomatoes.
Cauliflower with onion sauce
For 4 persons
Preparation: 5min.
Time: 30min.
Ingredients: 1kg. Cauliflower, 250ml. cream, 3 tbsp. spoons of chopped green onions, pepper, salt.
Preparation: Break up the cauliflower and rinse. Cook for 20 minutes in a double boiler. Whip cream with salt and pepper. Add onion. Place the cauliflower on a plate and pour cream on top. Serve.
Tomatoes stuffed with spinach
For 2 persons
Preparation: 15min.
Time: 10m + 20-25min.
Ingredients: 4 large tomatoes, 200g. spinach, 1 tablespoon of cottage cheese, 1 egg, salt, pepper, nutmeg.
Preparation: Boil spinach for 10 minutes. Squeeze and beat. Cut the cap off each tomato, remove the core, and add salt inside. Mix the egg with cottage cheese. Add spinach and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Fill the tomatoes with the resulting curd mixture, place on the rack of the bowl and cook for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot.
Steamed artichokes
For 4 persons
Preparation: 5min.
Time: 45-50min.
Ingredients: 4 artichokes, 100ml. olive oil, 3 tsp. Spoons of vinegar with balsam, 2 tbsp. spoons of chopped fresh herbs, pepper, salt.
Preparation: Clean and rinse the artichokes. Remove the wire rack and place one bowl on top of the other. Place the artichokes in a bowl and simmer for 45 minutes. Mix olive oil with vinegar, salt and pepper. Add chopped herbs. Serve the artichokes warm and topped with French sauce.
Potatoes baked in Eden cheese
For 4 persons
Preparation: 20min.
Time: 40min.
Ingredients: 800gr. potatoes, 150g. raw ham, 150g. grated Eden cheese, 100ml. sour cream, pepper, salt.
Preparation: Peel the potatoes, dry and cut them into strips. Cut the ham into cubes. Mix everything together: potatoes, ham, cheese, salt and pepper. Place everything in a greased form. Beat eggs with sour cream and pour over potatoes. Cover with cling film and steam in a double boiler for 40 minutes. Then place the cooked potatoes on a dish and serve.
Boiled rice
For 4 persons
Preparation: 5min.
Time: 20-30min.
Ingredients: 200gr. basmati rice, 300ml. water, salt.
Preparation: Rinse the rice. Place rice in a rice bowl, add water and salt. Cook for 20-30 minutes in a double boiler. Separate the grains with a fork and add a knob of butter. At the end of cooking, you can add a little parmesan or hard cheese, chopped ham. Before you start cooking, you can add various seasonings to the water: saffron, curry, dried herbs.
For 4 persons
Preparation: 30min.
Time: 35-40min.
Ingredients: 125gr. chocolate, 125g. butter, 4 eggs, 100g. granulated sugar, 100g. flour.
Preparation: Line a rice bowl with cling film. Separate the yolks from the eggs. Beat the butter. Melt chocolate, mix with butter and egg yolks. Add sugar, flour and whipped egg whites, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture into the rice bowl. Cover the rice bowl with cling film and place in a steamer. Cook for 35-40 minutes. Cool. Turn. Serve with cream or cherry jam.
Baked Apples with Cinnamon
For 4 persons
Preparation: 15min.
Time: 20min.
Ingredients: 1kg. Apples, 1 pinch of cinnamon, 100g. Sahara.
Preparation: Peel the apples, remove the core and cut the apples into four parts. Cook in a double boiler with cinnamon. Remove the apples and puree them. Add sugar.
Pears in chocolate mousse
For 4 persons
Preparation: 15min.
Time: 15-17 min.
Ingredients: 4 large firm pears, juice from ½ lemon, 125g. premium pure chocolate, 100ml. low-fat cream.
Preparation: Peel the pears, leaving them whole and with a stick. Cut the base of each pear so that it can be placed vertically. Drizzle lemon juice over pears. Remove the rack from the middle basket of the steamer, place the lower and middle baskets on top of each other and place the pears in them. Break the chocolate into small pieces and place together with the cream in a rice bowl. Cover the bowl with cling film, place in the upper basket and cook for 15-17 minutes. Whisk the chocolate and cream well until the mixture is smooth. Place the pears on a plate and pour chocolate mousse on top.
Banana surprise
For 2 persons
Preparation: 20 min + 1 hour for marinating
Time: 10-15min.
Ingredients: 2 large bananas, 50g. raisins, 1 tbsp liqueur, 1 orange, 25g. Sahara.
Preparation: Remove the zest from 1 orange and squeeze out the juice. Peel the bananas and cut in half. Place on a plate. Mix sugar with orange zest and juice, add liqueur and raisins. Pour the mixture over the bananas and marinate for an hour. Butter 2 rectangles of foil and place a banana half on each. Pour raisin juice on top. Wrap in papillots and place in the steamer bowl, after fastening the handle, and cook for 10-15 minutes. Serve bananas in foil.
More and more assistants are appearing in the kitchens of modern housewives. One of them is a steamer. This does not mean that dishes with its help turn out healthy, but bland. Knowing what can be cooked in a double boiler, you will be able to create a completely complete and varied menu for your family.
Steaming allows you to preserve the maximum amount of beneficial properties of products. For example, if during cooking at least 25% of the components necessary for the body are lost, then when steamed this figure drops to 1-2%.
Using a steamer is very convenient. It is enough to load the necessary products into it in the morning and set a timer. Then, when you come home from work, you will have a ready-made dinner waiting for you at home. In addition, the device allows you to save money. During cooking, if oil or fat is used, then minimum quantity. Majority modern models They have several levels, which allows you to cook several dishes at once.
If necessary dietary food, you can’t do without such an assistant. And considering that in recent years Leading a healthy lifestyle is becoming more and more popular; any family should make a purchase.
It’s difficult to find any disadvantages to the steamer. The main thing, perhaps, is that the food will seem a little bland at first, and you won’t get a fried crust. But habit is a matter of time. Not all foods can be prepared with it. For example, mushrooms (those that require long-term soaking and processing), pasta, legumes. But pans are also suitable for this.
All that remains is to pick good recipes and you can join the ranks of those who care about their health and longevity.
You can cook almost all types of cereals in a double boiler. The main thing is that there is a special bowl for this. Although you can use microwave or multicooker containers.
It turns out very tasty:
- . Rinse 6 tablespoons of cereal until the water becomes clear, pour in 300 ml of boiling water, place in a steamer bowl, stir, cook for about 45 minutes. Next, you can add salt or sugar, a little milk, butter and other ingredients. Rice is universal in this regard;
- millet. Rinse the cereal several times until the water becomes clear. Place in the prepared container, filling it no more than a third. Pour water or milk. To make the dish crumbly, there must be enough liquid so that it rises to the same height from above as the cereal occupies. Those who want to cook a more viscous porridge should add a little more. Next, if desired, add pumpkin, dried fruits, salt or sugar to the cereal. Turn on the steamer for 30-45 minutes depending on the volume of the bowl;
- oatmeal. Pour a glass of cereal with a glass of water and a glass of milk, cook for half an hour. After this time, pour another glass of milk into the porridge, add salt or sugar to taste, and cook for another 5 minutes. If desired, you can sprinkle with raisins or add softened dried fruits when serving;
- buckwheat. Rinse the cereal, remove debris, add water in a 1:1 ratio, turn on the device for 40 minutes. Steamed buckwheat can be served with butter, sugar, milk, mushrooms, meatballs or fish.
- semolina. It’s not so easy to prepare everyone’s favorite porridge since childhood, but not in a double boiler. Here it will definitely not burn, will have the necessary consistency and will turn out without lumps. For 5 tablespoons of semolina you need to take 50 ml of milk and 150 ml of water, salt and sugar are added to taste. It takes half an hour to cook the cereal.
You can cook other cereals in a double boiler, but these are the most popular. Ready-made meals will be even more tasty and healthy if you add fresh or dried vegetables and fruits, berries or candied fruits to them.
Note to the owner. Legumes are not cooked in a steamer. But if beans, peas, and corn were harvested young and require minimal heat treatment, they can be added to cereals.
Fruits cooked in a double boiler are perfectly digestible. They can be given to young children and people with serious problems with digestion. They taste a little like baked ones, but they have much more benefits.
Most often steamed:
- . Cut into halves or quarters, place on a tray, cook for 20-30 minutes depending on size. Any variety is suitable, but the juicier the fruit, the tastier the resulting dessert will be;
- pears. Cut into quarters or smaller slices, cook for 30-40 minutes;
- bananas. You can cook with or without the peel. In the first option, cut the banana in half and cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove the skin before use. The fruit is cut into slices and will be crushed into puree. In this case, 5-7 minutes of cooking time is enough.
Advice. Try seasoning prepared fruits with cinnamon, vanilla sugar, honey or other food additives.
Recipes for steamer with vegetables
Steamed vegetables, like fruits, are given to children and those suffering from gastrointestinal diseases. For those losing weight, they are completely irreplaceable. They are even allowed to eat potatoes in moderation in this form.
Most often they cook in a double boiler:
- potato. Grease the slices with salt and spices to taste, place on a wire rack, turn on the steamer for 25-30 minutes. Before serving, add butter and sprinkle with your favorite herbs;
- pumpkin Peel the fruit and remove seeds, cut into flat cubes, add salt or sprinkle with sugar, place on a wire rack and cook for about 20 minutes. Then place in a colander to drain off any unnecessary liquid. Serve in a mound and drizzle with melted butter;
- broccoli. Separate the cabbage into flowers. Place on a steamer tray and cook for 10 minutes. When serving, sprinkle with chopped garlic or chili pepper and season soy sauce or olive oil;
- zucchini and eggplant. These vegetables are most often prepared stuffed in a steamer. You can cut into “barrels” or “boats”, taking out the middle with a spoon, fill with minced meat or cooked rice mixed with vegetables. Cook until the skins are soft. Then sprinkle with grated cheese and turn on the steamer for a few more minutes.
Advice. Fresh or dried herbs add great flavor to vegetables in a steamer.
Classic recipes
There are dishes that every steamer owner must prepare.
One of the most popular classic recipes is
Omelette
You need to mix 5 eggs and a glass of milk, add ½ tsp. salt. Whisk the mixture, pour into a bowl and cook for 20 minutes. You can add fresh or frozen vegetables, herbs, pieces of sausage or boiled meat to the main ingredients.
In second place in terms of frequency of cooking in a double boiler is
Casserole
Curd cheese turns out very tasty. For a glass of cottage cheese, take a tablespoon of sour cream, an egg, 1 tsp. decoys. If desired, you can add a pinch of cinnamon and vanilla, sugar to taste.
Mix all ingredients, place in a bowl and level. Cook for half an hour, then open the lid and leave the casserole to brew for another 7-10 minutes. This way it won't be watery.
Can be cooked in a steamer and
Soup
The first dish is not too liquid, but very rich and satisfying, even if only vegetables are used for cooking. Cooking time depends on the ingredients.
It’s easier to take ready-made meat broth, add vegetables (potatoes, carrots, cabbage) and cereals to it. Then the time will be about 30-40 minutes.
You can boil the vegetables in a double boiler until half cooked and add the meatballs. From this point on, you should time 25-30 minutes.
Before serving, it doesn’t hurt to sprinkle the soup with herbs, season with sour cream or butter.
Steamed corn
But to steam corn, you don’t need a bowl. Sprinkle young cobs with salt and spices, brush with melted butter or sprinkle with lemon juice, and wrap in foil. Place on a steamer tray and cook for 2 hours on medium power.
Fish
You can't help but stop at steamed fish. Any variety is suitable for this, but the fewer seeds there are in the carcass, the better. Grease the fish with salt and spices, sprinkle with lemon or lime juice, sprinkle with fresh or dried herbs. Cook for about half an hour depending on the size of the pieces.
Manti
And manti are prepared according to the rules only by steaming. The time depends on their size, the thickness of the dough and the filling. With chicken it takes about half an hour, with beef 45 minutes or more.
What can you cook in a double boiler? This question can take a very long time to answer. We looked at the most common dish options, and you take them as a basis and experiment.
Add new ingredients, change the composition of classic recipes and share the results with us. We'll be looking forward to it!
Double boiler- a universal cooking tool that will not only save time when preparing food, but will also provide you with tasty and healthy food.
There are many advantages to a steamer
First of all, we are talking about healthy eating. If we talk about the preservation of vitamins, then steam treatment in this regard is the most gentle. Despite the fact that the food is still subjected to heat treatment, and the beneficial substances are destroyed in the process, nevertheless, the cooking time is significantly reduced.
The steam temperature does not reach a critical level, therefore it does not completely destroy all useful microelements. In addition, the steam in the steamer is free from various impurities, so they do not get into the products themselves, and harmful carcinogens are not formed.
A steamer can provide safe and healthy baby food. Most pediatricians recommend steaming for kids and starting from the first feeding. In a double boiler you can prepare not only single-component vegetable purees, but also more complex dishes for growing children.
There is no need to use extra fat when steaming, food is prepared in own juice. Thus, the steamer allows you to reset extra pounds without effort and harm to health.
Another advantage of a double boiler is that you can immediately cook several dishes, which is very important for many housewives today.
Steamers equipped with several containers allow you to simultaneously cook meat, side dishes, and desserts. Thanks to this, in less than an hour you can prepare a full lunch or dinner for the whole family, without having to stand stove all this time, monitoring the cooking process. In a steamer, your dish will not burn, the milk will not run away, and you won’t have to wash a lot of dishes.
Secrets of cooking in a double boiler
The answer will pleasantly surprise many: you can cook almost any dish in a double boiler. If you look at the instructions, it contains the following list:
- Meat and poultry: chicken breast, chicken legs, pork fillet, beef goulash, turkey escalope, lamb chop.
- Fish and seafood: fish fillet, oysters, shrimp, sea cocktail, mussels, whole fish, scallops.
- Vegetables and legumes: potatoes, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, bell peppers, asparagus, zucchini, fresh beans, green beans, corn on the cob, fresh and frozen peas, mushrooms.
- Pasta, porridge, pilaf: milk porridges, white rice, long grain rice, spaghetti, couscous, rice for sushi and rolls, buckwheat.
- Fruits: baked apples and pears, bananas, plums.
- Other products: dishes made from eggs, cottage cheese.
You can cook delicious food in a steamer main courses: cutlets of any minced meat, for example, turkey meat, minced chicken, mixed pork and ground beef, as well as all possible vegetable cutlets in a steamer, rolls from different types meat and varying degrees of complexity.
You can also cook: chicken and beef liver, chicken hearts and stomachs, beef tongue. In other words, any meat dish, no matter how difficult it may be to prepare.
Also steamer is convenient for baking, for example, pies, curd puddings, manna cakes, muffins, lasagna, pancakes, cheesecakes, biscuits, cakes, etc. They also prepare any number of casseroles, omelets, lazy dumplings, cottage cheese soufflé, and puddings.
They turn out great in the steamer crumbly porridge, saving everything beneficial properties: rice, oatmeal, millet, buckwheat, pearl barley, as in pure form, with the addition of vegetables, fruits and other ingredients.
Any fish is suitable for steaming. Moreover, we are talking not only about whole fish or its fillets, but also about minced fish cutlets.
There are steamer models, in which, in addition to the above list, you can also prepare soups and sauces. All dishes prepared in a double boiler do not contain a drop of excess fat. People watching their figure do not necessarily have to limit themselves and give up their favorite meat or fish, unless, of course, they are topped with fatty sauce.
And besides, steamed food is much morehealthier for the body than prepared in a different way.
It is worth noting here that all of these dishes cannot be cooked in a simple steamer-pan or bamboo steamer, unless you use some kind of mold to prepare, for example, an omelet.
Culinary delights are available only for complex models of electric steamers. But even in simple steamers you can cook a lot of tasty and healthy dishes. The same steam cutlets or you can easily make fish in sa my primitive steamer rack.
It is not only one of the healthiest ways to prepare food, but also one of the simplest.
In Asian cuisine, a similar method has been used for many centuries: various foods are placed over a pan in which broth or water is boiling. Hot steam rises from the pan, thanks to which the food is cooked in its own juice. The same principle applies when working with a double boiler.
Steamer Recipes a lot, some suggest using this kitchen unit not only for traditional steamed meat, fish and vegetables, but also for preparing cereals, desserts and dough products.
During cooking, a boiling broth is formed, which can be used as gravy or sauce. Certain recipes for preparing dishes in a double boiler imply that you can add herbs, wine, citrus zest to boiling water or broth, then the dish will have a unique taste and aroma.
Recipes delicious dishes in a double boiler easy to prepare. A steamer is suitable, for example, for preparing cutlets with sour cream. You can also put a filling of chopped herbs, cheese, nuts, and dried fruits inside the cutlet. Steamed vegetables are much tastier than boiled ones, they retain more vitamins and take less time to prepare.
Simple and uncomplicated recipes for steamers allow you to use tasty and healthy products.For example, Potatoes cooked in a steamer turn out very tasty. Small tubers can be prepared in just 20-25 minutes, both in their “uniform” and peeled. This cooking method preserves important vitamin C. Young potatoes are especially tasty. It is enough to steam it, and then pour oil on a plate, add salt and sprinkle with dill.
You can easily and simply prepare other vegetables, such as broccoli or cauliflower, for which just enough only 15 minutes in a double boiler. Many models of electric steamers have containers for cooking cereals, in which, in addition to traditional porridges, you can also cook pasta.
A steamer allows you to quickly prepare a variety of side dishes.
Steamers can be divided into electric and those with which they cook food on a gas stove.
There is nothing difficult in handling a simple steamer pan.
First of all, you need to pour water into the steamer and let it boil. The water level should be 2-3 cm below the bottom of the basket. After the water boils, you need to reduce the heat so that the water boils moderately. Then you should place the food in the steamer basket.
Preferably Lay out each product in one layer, but if the ingredients do not fit, then the small ones should be placed on top of the large ones. Do not add salt to the steamer pan because all it is washed away with steam.
If the steamer is multi-level, then you can cook several dishes in it; products with a high moisture content should be placed on the lower level. It is also necessary to monitor the amount of water in the lower pan - if it is not enough, the steamer will simply start to burn.
B modern world problems related to nutrition and lack of time for cooking. A double boiler will help solve these problems. Buy a steamer You can use it once and use it for the rest of your life.
Conclusion
The steamer has long won the hearts of many people. And this is no coincidence, because it has a lot of advantages, among which especially noteworthy is the ability to prepare healthy, wholesome, medicinal and dietary food.
Steam processing of food products is currently considered the most gentle, since during the process the maximum amount of vitamins is preserved.
Benefit healthy eating that a double boiler provides has already been appreciated by many people. This primarily applies to expectant and nursing mothers.
If we compare steaming with cooking in water or stewing, we can definitely say that the lower processing temperature in the first case does not destroy even the most unstable microelements. Vitamins and others nutrients are not washed out of food by water.
When using a double boiler, there is no need to constantly monitor the cooking process; just add the necessary products and set the timer. The steamer will do the rest for you.
In addition, it is suitable for preparing first foods, sterilizing nipples, bottles and heating baby food, which is very important for parents of children.
Steamed food most fully meets the requirements for children's diet.
Steamed the products do not contain harmful compounds that arise in food during normal cooking, much less frying. Vitamins are retained in products, and the amount of allergens is reduced to an acceptable level, which reduces the risk of allergic reactions. If a child is taught to eat properly.
Share the page with your friendsSteam cooking is contact cooking: steam comes into contact with the product. This is a rather complex, more subtle method of processing food than baking or frying.
In this way you can prepare almost any dish, including some confectionery dishes. Steamed dishes are the basis of any diet menu. Eating food that is steamed without adding fat is a great way to lose weight.
Steaming food is very easy. The dish will be almost impossible to overcook or overcook if you just follow simple cooking recommendations. By the way, the basics of handling a steamer are often written on its body. Even if you are not at all good at kitchen creativity, it’s okay. The steamer will do everything for you. Simply place in it the ingredients you need for the dish you have in mind and set the cooking mode (or set the timer to the time specified in the recipe).
It is not recommended to add salt and seasonings to the water that you pour into the steamer tank; it is also prohibited to use broth instead of water. Otherwise, say goodbye to the heating element.
First, turn on the steamer and let the water boil. The water level in the base of the steamer should be 2-3 cm below the bottom of the working basket. When the water boils, you can place food in the steamer.
Make sure that the boiling water does not come into contact with the food: do not forget that you are cooking food by steam, not in water.
As for the processing time of products in a double boiler, the main thing is to prevent them from overcooking. It is quite difficult to indicate the exact time in minutes. Fish cooks on average 15-20 minutes, a side dish - about 25 minutes, a large piece of meat or chicken - about 30 minutes. Everything will depend on the volume of the product and the number of dishes being cooked simultaneously in the double boiler.
A double boiler will allow you to quickly cook almost any food, as well as defrost meat, poultry, and fish. In a double boiler it is especially convenient to defrost and cook dishes from ready-made quick-frozen foods (semi-finished products), which as a result retain their original moisture and taste. This is especially true for vegetables, green beans, and seafood.
Of course, if you simply boil eggs, porridge or soup in water, they will not lose their nutritional value. But in a double boiler the dishes will not burn or be overcooked. It's very convenient. In this case, it is possible to simultaneously cook dishes from various types products directly in water (in a rice bowl) or in a steam bath.
Using a steamer, you can keep a prepared dish hot for a certain time; you can reheat an already prepared dish, bread or pastries (in this case, the steamer will perform the function microwave oven) to experience the taste of a fresh product again. This is especially true for bakery products: under the influence of steam, they taste so tender and fragrant, as if they had just been taken out of the oven.
The steamer is ideal for preparing baking dough. Yeast dough It comes together quickly and puff pastry makes excellent desserts. They make fruit desserts and even cakes in a double boiler. Steamed dumplings, dumplings, and casseroles turn out well.
Vegetables are blanched in a double boiler, dishes for home canning are sterilized, as well as for storing and using baby food.
Here are a few rules that are best adhered to when cooking food in a double boiler:
- Place food loosely in the bowl. Always leave an allowance on all sides to allow steam to circulate.
- Place the food on each “floor” of the steamer in one layer, cutting it into approximately equal pieces so that the food cooks evenly.
- If the ingredients of a dish cannot be cut into approximately equal pieces, place smaller slices on top.
- It is better to place meat, poultry, and fish in the lowest bowl: these products will require more time to cook.
- It is better to place fish, meat and all juicy products on the lower level of the steamer so that the juice from them does not drip on top of other products (unless, of course, this is not intended according to the recipe).
- Place a dish that will take a long time to cook in the lower basket, and a dish that will cook quickly in the upper basket.
- Fish is usually filleted for faster cooking.
- The breast is most often taken from the bird.
- When cooking whole fish, first make sure that it will fit on the “floor” of the steamer. The same applies to whole chicken: you may have to remove the steamer bowls to cook it.
- Vegetables are cooked with their skins on, as when boiled in water, to preserve vitamins.
- Shrimp and scallops must be cleaned, while other mollusks and crustaceans can be cooked in their shells.
- Frozen vegetables are cooked immediately, without prior defrosting. But fish, meat and poultry will have to be completely defrosted first.
- Take your time adding spices to steamed food. Steamed food may seem tasteless at first, but soon you will remember the taste of the products themselves, almost forgotten in the modern world, and not of flavorings and flavor enhancers. Into a dish prepared in a double boiler, after finishing culinary processing You can add salt, as well as wine, herbs, lemon zest.
- Often, the manufacturer indicates in the instructions for the steamer that it is prohibited to use salt and seasonings when cooking, because the juice from foods soaked in them can damage the heater. However, many dishes will not be as aromatic and tasty if you add seasonings to them after they are fully cooked. To protect the heater, use sealed plastic containers with lids, baking foil, food bags, and more. The main thing is that the juice with spices (and it is also contained in the condensate flowing down the walls of the steamer) cannot penetrate close to the heating element. Then cooking with spices will be absolutely safe for the operation of the steamer, and the dish will cook faster.
- Condensation and juice of products flowing into the pan are used to prepare sauces and broths.
- To flavor dishes with dried herbs, citrus slices, garlic or onions, place these ingredients on the bottom of the steamer basket. The effect will be approximately the same as if you put the spices directly on the food being cooked. An excellent solution if you do not want to eat pieces of these products, but just want to add their flavor to the dish.
- For persistent flavoring of meat, poultry, and fish, it is better to marinate them first (several hours before cooking).
- If you want to check the readiness of the dish, open the steamer lid infrequently to prevent steam from escaping, otherwise the cooking time may increase significantly.
- The cooking time will increase if you cook food in foil. It is reusable (especially for heating food). Heat the porridge by greasing the foil with a small amount of butter, place a portion of the porridge on the foil, wrap it and put it in a double boiler for 5 minutes. The stale bread is placed in foil, lightly sprinkling it with water, and placed in a double boiler for 5-6 minutes. Eggs wrapped in foil will not crack during cooking. You can also make molds from foil for preparing biscuits, muffins and other dishes.
- To reheat individual dishes (egg custard, sauces), also use microwave-safe film. freezer. Then you will avoid the formation of condensation.
- If the dish needs to be steamed for a long time (puddings), it can be lightly sprinkled cold water, which will speed up the process.
Now a little about what is not suitable or not very suitable for cooking in a double boiler:
- Fruits and berries, if steamed, can simply boil. In addition, slightly spoiled and bruised vegetables and fruits in a double boiler often acquire an unpleasant smell and taste, and if defects in the products are cut out, the vegetables and fruits may lose their shape.
- Excess moisture may cause meat rolls to lose their gastronomic appeal and become sour.
- It is usually not recommended to cook legumes (peas, beans) and pasta (especially from soft varieties wheat). It will take too long. In addition, these products usually need a lot of water to taste. The pasta may turn out sticky and sticky; it is better to boil it on the stove.
- Don't steam it individual species mushrooms and offal that need preliminary removal(by boiling in water) certain soluble substances.
- Carefully monitor the readiness of the product: food over-steamed will turn out “rubbery” and dry.
Signs that a dish is ready
Properly steamed food appears as if it has swollen with moisture.
The main indicators of dish readiness are:
- The juice that comes out of the product is practically colorless (meat, therefore, without blood).
- In finished fish and seafood, the flesh becomes matte rather than transparent.
- Discharge white on the surface of the fish (albumin protein) will tell you that you have overcooked the product, or the fish was steamed from the rapid boiling of water (if you cooked it on the stove).
- The shells of ready-made crustaceans turn bright pink or red.
- The poultry meat becomes dull, and when you press its flesh with your finger, it quickly restores its original shape.
The steamed dish is served immediately, because the cooking process inside the food is still ongoing - due to internal heat.
Healthy eating is not just about what we eat, but also how we prepare our food. Today no one will argue that food cooked in a double boiler is healthier and tastier.
By making it a habit to cook food in a double boiler, you will ensure yourself a strong immune system, clean, smooth skin and a slender body, as well as big charge energy and good mood. After all, cooking in a modern steamer is not only useful, but also convenient. Modern electric steamers reduce the housewife's efforts to prepare a variety of dishes to a minimum.
Benefits of steaming food
- Steaming is considered a delicate method of thermal treatment of food, which preserves more nutrients and vitamins.
- When steaming food, you do not need to add fat, so the dishes are light and low in calories.
- When processed with steam, compounds hazardous to health are not formed, as can happen during frying or baking.
What can you steam?
Steaming is a universal method of cooking food. You can perfectly cook vegetables, meat and fish in a steamer. Dishes made from eggs, cereals, as well as dumplings and casseroles turn out well. Even fruit desserts and cakes are steamed.
Steaming allows you to best preserve the natural color, taste and aroma of food. It is a deep misconception to believe that food from a steamer is tasteless and bland. Although for some, it may take some time to appreciate the steam kitchen. After all, food modern man contains so many taste and smell enhancers that taste and olfactory receptors reduce their sensitivity, forced to resist such overstimulation. But one or two weeks will pass, and the person will begin to feel the natural taste and aroma of each product again.
However, there are also foods that are not recommended to be steamed:
- Should not be cooked in a steamer pasta . Dry foods in a steamer are prepared in a special bowl for rice, into which additional water is poured. During cooking, the steam heats the liquid and the pasta is cooked not in boiling water, but at a lower temperature. In this case, the pasta becomes overcooked and sticks together.
- It is not advisable to boil in a double boiler beans or peas . These foods should also be cooked with water. However, even in water they take about 2-3 hours to cook. At the same time, beans cooked in a double boiler are practically no different from those cooked on the stove (unlike vegetables or meat).
- You should not steam foods from which soluble substances must be removed as much as possible before consumption. These include mushrooms , offal etc. It is better to boil them in a large volume of water.
Nutritionists are confident that steam food is needed by all those who care about their health. But more often people remember proper nutrition, when it comes to the need to follow a diet for various diseases.
- If doctors find that a person has chronic gastrointestinal disease : peptic ulcer stomach, cholecystitis, gastritis or gastroduodenitis, he is immediately prescribed dietary food. The optimal cuisine for sick digestive organs is steamed dishes. They retain nutrients and do not irritate the mucous membrane.
- Steamed dishes are beneficial for people suffering from diseases of the heart and blood vessels . To reduce blood cholesterol levels during atherosclerosis, it is necessary to exclude fatty and spicy foods. The ideal solution is steamed food; it is absolutely not greasy, and the spiciness depends entirely on the amount of seasonings added.
- For metabolic disorders , whether it's an allergy or overweight, a steam kitchen also comes to the rescue.
However, it's not just about diseases. At certain periods of life, the human body needs more careful treatment.
- For example, in preschool age Eating meat in steam form is considered preferable. As the first complementary food after reaching 6 months of age, steamed vegetables are recommended for babies.
- The steam kitchen is also useful for the elderly, pregnant women and all those whose bodies are exposed to unfavorable factors, works under overload or has reduced immunity.
- Do not place food in the bowl too tightly. For better preparation, steam should be able to circulate freely in the steamer.
- It is better to cut meat, fish and vegetables into pieces of the same size. Thicker pieces will increase cooking time. Pieces of different sizes can be laid in layers, with the smallest ones best placed on top.
- You should not open the lid of the steamer often to monitor the readiness of the dish. This causes steam loss and increases cooking time.
- You can add a delicious taste to meat, poultry or fish by pre-marinating them for several hours.
- The dish will be juicier if you line the bottom of the steamer bowl with foil.
- You can start cooking vegetables from the freezer in a double boiler without first thawing them. Poultry, fish and meat must first be thawed.
Steam kitchen recipes
Zucchini in a steamer
Wash and peel 1 medium zucchini (or 2-3 small ones). Salt, add spices and a couple of chopped garlic cloves. Cover the steamer bowl with foil so that the juice from the vegetables does not drain, and they turn out more juicy and tasty. Place the zucchini in a bowl and cook for 20–25 minutes. Five minutes before readiness, you can add finely chopped tomato and grated cheese. Serve the dish hot with sour cream or mayonnaise-based sauce.
Red fish and carrot stew
Grate 3 carrots on a coarse grater. Cut 150 g of red fish (for example, salmon) into small equal pieces. Cut 2 tomatoes and 1 onion into half rings. Place vegetables in a rice bowl and place fish on top. Cook in a steamer for 35-45 minutes. 5 minutes before readiness, add spices, black pepper and salt.
Stuffed peppers
Wash the peppers and remove the seeds. Grind 1 carrot, 1 onion and mix with 200 g of minced meat and 1 cup of boiled rice. Fill the peppers with the resulting mixture. Cook in a double boiler for 30–40 minutes.
Dessert of apples with dates and cinnamon
Cut 3 sour apples in half and cut out the middle. Peel 6 dates and place in each apple half. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon sugar and dust with cinnamon. Cook in a steamer for 15–20 minutes.
Olivier in a steamer
The familiar Olivier salad can be prepared by boiling vegetables in a double boiler. Wash 500 g of potatoes and 300 g of carrots and cook “in their jackets” in a double boiler for 25–30 minutes. Leave to cool. 3-4 pickled cucumbers, 1 can of canned champignons and 1 onion, finely chopped. Peel the cooled potatoes and carrots, cut into cubes and add to the rest of the products. Add a can of green peas. Mix everything thoroughly and season with low-fat sour cream or mayonnaise. Chop green onions on top.