TECHNIQUE GUIDE

Cooking technique guide

Check the core principles of cooking techniques and how to handle ingredients step by step.

COOKING TECHNIQUE

Chiji

Steaming is a cooking method that cooks ingredients with boiling water or steam. Because the ingredients are not directly submerged in water, loss of aroma and nutrients is relatively reduced, and the natural moist texture and clear flavor of the ingredients are preserved. Steam wraps the surface of the ingredients evenly, but the speed of cooking all the way through varies greatly depending on thickness and density. Therefore, instead of layering many ingredients at once, create space for steam to circulate, and check the center doneness with chopsticks or skewers. Steaming is favorable for a neutral result, but not suitable for dishes requiring strong browning aroma or a crispy surface. If such flavor is desired, you can consider finishing with a quick sauté or fry after steaming.

Core principles

For the steamer to transfer heat to the ingredients, the water must boil steadily and generate sufficient steam. If the water is simmering weakly and there is little steam inside the lid, reduce the heat to maintain continuous steam.
The more surface area the ingredients have in contact with the steam, the more evenly they cook. If ingredients are stacked tightly on the plate, the center may cook later, so spread in a single layer or rotate positions midway.
Water droplets formed on the lid can fall onto the food surface making it watery. Especially for foods where surface matters like egg custard or steamed fish, wrap the lid with a cloth or loosely cover the plate to reduce droplets.
Since steaming adds moisture, you should decide to stop before the texture becomes too soft. If vegetables stay bright in color and a chopstick can enter with resistance, remove them and finish with residual heat.

Well-matching ingredients

Vegetables that retain moisture and soften, such as broccoli, pumpkin, potatoes, are suitable for steaming. If sizes are not uniform, place large pieces at the bottom or edge and smaller pieces later to reduce doneness differences.
Fish and shellfish hold their shape better and preserve aroma when steamed rather than boiled. However, very thin fillets become firm if steamed too long, so check when the flesh becomes opaque and fibers separate easily.
Dumplings, rice cakes, steamed buns, etc. wrapped in dough heat through well with steam. If ingredients tend to stick together, separate them using parchment, leafy vegetables, or a thin oil film on the steamer.
Soft ingredients like egg batter or tofu can be steamed smoothly at low and steady steam. In contrast, ingredients with hard shells and dry surface that require roasted aroma are difficult to achieve desired results by steaming alone.

Heat and time management

Add ingredients after boiling the water to generate steam inside the steamer so that you can easily judge the start of cooking. If the steam weakens right after adding cold ingredients, resume boiling and begin monitoring doneness from the point when boiling returns.
Keep the heat steady so water keeps boiling but not so vigorously that it overflows or dries the bottom of the steamer. If water touches the ingredients or steamer plate, it becomes boiling rather than steaming, affecting texture and flavor, so monitor water level midway.
Cooking time varies with ingredient thickness, refrigeration state, quantity, and how well the steamer is sealed. Thin vegetables or seafood should be checked early, while root vegetables or large chunks pierced in the center with a chopstick to test resistance.
Even after turning off the heat, keep the lid closed as residual heat continues cooking. Remove vegetables and seafood that have reached the desired level immediately, and for large ingredients that need even heat through, a brief resting period may be better.

Success points

Do not fill the steamer water so that ingredients are fully submerged; leave room for evaporation. For long cooking, replenish hot water to avoid temperature drop and loss of steam.
Match the size and thickness of ingredients as closely as possible so they cook evenly at the same time. When cooking ingredients of different thickness together, add the thicker ones first and the softer ones later.
Seasoning should consider moisture state before and after steaming. If salt or seasonings are added too early, vegetables may release water and textures may become soggy, so for neutral ingredients finishing with sauce or flavored oil is good.
Opening the lid frequently allows steam and heat to escape, causing cooking time to vary. If not cooked enough, close the lid and steam a bit longer before checking again to reduce overcooking.

Common mistakes

If the steamer water runs low, the bottom may burn and a smell of burning or sudden drop in steam occurs. Check the water level before cooking, and top up hot water mid-way for long-steaming ingredients.
Stacking ingredients in multiple layers too thickly can cause upper or center parts to cook less and retain moisture. Spread in one layer or steam in batches, and if overlapping is unavoidable, rotate positions.
If you insist on high heat, the surface of egg custard may become rough or the soft fish flesh may tighten. After the water has started boiling, maintain a steady medium steam according to the ingredient properties.
Leaving steamed ingredients in the lid for too long can cause vegetables to become pale and mushy or dumpling wrappers to become moist due to residual heat and condensation. Remove promptly to a plate after checking doneness, and if needed, open the lid to release moisture.