Some questions about cooking fish in a bamboo steamer ..

Bamboo Steam Cooking Guide
Compliments of Joyce Chen Inc., with added comments by us.


Bamboo steam cooking offers many advantages over boiling and other wet heat methods of cooking. It better controls the texture and color of foods, especially vegetables, and makes them more nutritious since fewer vitamins and minerals are lost in the cooking process.


How to Use a Bamboo Steamer

Before using for the first time, scrub the bamboo thoroughly with mild soap and water.

While it is still wet, steam it for 30 minutes.

To cook, place one section of the bamboo steamer in your wok (or snugly over a large pan) so that it fits nicely with some room around for the edges.

Add water until it just touches the bottom of the first bamboo layer. Then stack as many sections of your bamboo steamer, one on top of the other, with as many food courses as you wish to prepare.

Don't allow the food to come in contact with the steamer and you won't have sticking, or rancidity. Use a bed of lettuce or other fresh leaves, or parchment paper. If using a dish, make sure there's enough room between the dish and the sides to allow the steam to rise.

Herbs can be added to the water to allow an aromatic flavor to permeate the food when cooking.

Cover snugly with your bamboo steamer lid, and start the water boiling.

Steam food to perfection by taste-testing with a fork, to determine when the food is cooked.

You can steam individual servings of a complete meal, like fish or chicken with vegetables, by placing the food on the plate on which it will be served. Then place each plate on its own steaming tier, but be sure not to cover up all of the steam holes around the edges of the plate. Aluminum foil may also be placed directly on the bamboo slats. Be careful when taking the plate out of the steamer, since it will be very hot.

When steaming vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, or celery, the tough stem ends should be placed toward the center of the steamer so that they come out tender.

At the end of the steaming process, you will end up with a delicious soup stock in the bottom of the pot.

Your steamer is great for refreshing day-old bread or rolls. To make them tender again, just loosely cover them with foil and steam for approximately 5 minutes.


Care & Storage of Bamboo Steamer

Rinse your steamer with water and, if necessary, use some mild soap.

Do not put your bamboo steamer set in the dishwasher.

Store the steamer in a well ventilated place.

Bamboo Steam Cooking Guide
Compliments of Joyce Chen Inc., with added comments by us.


Bamboo steam cooking offers many advantages over boiling and other wet heat methods of cooking. It better controls the texture and color of foods, especially vegetables, and makes them more nutritious since fewer vitamins and minerals are lost in the cooking process.


How to Use a Bamboo Steamer

Before using for the first time, scrub the bamboo thoroughly with mild soap and water.

While it is still wet, steam it for 30 minutes.

To cook, place one section of the bamboo steamer in your wok (or snugly over a large pan) so that it fits nicely with some room around for the edges.

Add water until it just touches the bottom of the first bamboo layer. Then stack as many sections of your bamboo steamer, one on top of the other, with as many food courses as you wish to prepare.

Don't allow the food to come in contact with the steamer and you won't have sticking, or rancidity. Use a bed of lettuce or other fresh leaves, or parchment paper. If using a dish, make sure there's enough room between the dish and the sides to allow the steam to rise.

Herbs can be added to the water to allow an aromatic flavor to permeate the food when cooking.

Cover snugly with your bamboo steamer lid, and start the water boiling.

Steam food to perfection by taste-testing with a fork, to determine when the food is cooked.

You can steam individual servings of a complete meal, like fish or chicken with vegetables, by placing the food on the plate on which it will be served. Then place each plate on its own steaming tier, but be sure not to cover up all of the steam holes around the edges of the plate. Aluminum foil may also be placed directly on the bamboo slats. Be careful when taking the plate out of the steamer, since it will be very hot.

When steaming vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, or celery, the tough stem ends should be placed toward the center of the steamer so that they come out tender.

At the end of the steaming process, you will end up with a delicious soup stock in the bottom of the pot.

Your steamer is great for refreshing day-old bread or rolls. To make them tender again, just loosely cover them with foil and steam for approximately 5 minutes.


Care & Storage of Bamboo Steamer

Rinse your steamer with water and, if necessary, use some mild soap.

Do not put your bamboo steamer set in the dishwasher.

Store the steamer in a well ventilated place.

mmm, why not soap and water, assuming you rinse the soap well?