STEAM COOKING: FASTER, HEALTHIER, TASTIER
Steam cooking: the healthy and delicious way to cook! Immerse yourself in a new world full of flavours and nutrients. With the innovative steam cooking method, you retain full control over your food and its nutrients. Experience intense flavours. Obtain valuable vitamins and minerals for a balanced diet. Save time and energy and enjoy unrivalled results. Because health and enjoyment go hand in hand with steam cooking, unleash your culinary creativity now!
WHAT IS STEAM COOKING?
Steam cooking is a healthy and gentle method of preparing food. This method allows you to cook food using steam without it coming into direct contact with water. You need special appliances for steam cooking - and you can find them in our ZWILLING online shop!
HOW DOES STEAM COOKING WORK?
Water is heated in a separate container so that the resulting steam surrounds the food on the steam attachments and gradually cooks it. This is a very gentle and gentle method of preparation, thanks to which the nutrients, vitamins and flavours are largely preserved, while the flavour of the ingredients becomes more intense. The result is a healthy, tasty and easily digestible meal.
The 7 most important tips for steaming:
Steam cooking is a gentle and healthy way of preparing food that preserves its nutrients and flavours better than other cooking methods. Here's how to do it right:
- First cut the food to be cooked into equal-sized pieces. This ensures that all ingredients are cooked evenly.
- A major advantage of steaming is that you can reheat food that has already been cooked without losing its quality. This means you can easily freshen up leftovers and enjoy them again.
- The cooking method is suitable for both fresh and frozen food. This makes steaming a practical solution for using up stocks or preserving food for longer.
- Adding ingredients to the water intensifies the flavour of the food. Fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and savoury herbs give dishes a wonderful aroma. You can also use white wine, lemon slices, or garlic to give the food a special flavour.
- For fans of sous-vide cooking, the steam cooker is an excellent alternative to the water bath. Vacuum-sealed food is cooked in steam at low temperatures for perfect texture and flavour.
- The steamer can prepare food and boil bottles and other utensils, which is particularly practical for parents with small children.
ADVANTAGES OF STEAM COOKING
Preparing food in a steam cooker offers numerous extremely attractive advantages for health-conscious cooks. For example, with the right equipment, you can prepare different ingredients simultaneously by placing them in different baskets in the steamer. This saves you time and space, as you only need one pot for the entire preparation.
Gentle preparation in steam
Another notable advantage of steaming is the gentle preparation, which preserves the vitamins and nutrients in the food. In contrast to other cooking methods that require high temperatures and long cooking times, steaming preserves valuable ingredients and ensures a healthy and nutritious meal. This not only provides the body with important vitamins. The colours of the vegetables also remain bright and appealing and, as we all know, you eat with your eyes.
Healthy, low-fat nutrition thanks to steam cooking
Steam cooking is particularly interesting for figure-conscious people as it is low in calories and requires no additional fat. This means you can enjoy delicious dishes without guilt while preserving nutrients and vitamins to ensure a balanced diet. Another plus point is that steaming prevents burning. This is doubly good, as it makes cleaning the steamer easier and prevents unpleasant smoke development.
Steam cooking is simply faster
As if that wasn't enough, steam cooking is characterized by its sheer speed. Thanks to the efficient heat transfer, food is cooked quickly in the steam cooker, so you can quickly get tasty meals on the table.
STEAMING AND COOKING TIMES
Steam cooking is a healthy and gentle method of preparing food that largely preserves the food's nutrients, flavours and colours. The cooking times for steaming vary depending on the type and size of the ingredients. Vegetables such as broccoli and asparagus usually only need around 5-10 minutes, while potatoes or root vegetables need around 15-20 minutes to become perfectly tender.
For meat and fish, the cooking time depends on the thickness of the cut, with thinner cuts cooking through in around 10-15 minutes. Keeping a close eye on cooking times is crucial to creating many delicious and healthy dishes.
ONE DISADVANTAGE OF STEAMING
The only thing you have to do without when steaming is the roasted flavour. Unfortunately, this cooking method does not produce these, but you can enjoy many other benefits of steam cooking. To create roasted flavours, you can, for example, sear in an iron pan or grill your food instead.
WHICH FOODS CAN BE STEAMED?
Steaming is a healthy and gentle way of cooking that is suitable for a wide variety of foods:
VEGETABLES:
Steaming or steaming vegetables is a popular way of preserving nutrients and flavour. Broccoli and potatoes, in particular, are ideal for cooking in a steamer. When steaming broccoli, the colour and vitamins are optimally preserved, while the potatoes in the steamer have a wonderfully creamy consistency. However, other vegetables such as pumpkin or savoy cabbage can also be prepared gently and deliciously in this way. When steaming vegetables, it is important to pay attention to the cooking time to achieve the optimum consistency. A few spices and herbs can add a delicious flavour to the steamed vegetables.
FISH:
Fish is also ideal for steaming or stewing. Salmon, in particular, is a popular ingredient for gentle steaming. However, trout and cod can also retain their delicate texture and flavour in this way. Even frozen fish can be prepared in the steamer so that it defrosts quickly and is cooked simultaneously. To enhance the flavour of the fish during steaming, you can use herbs and spices or add a light soy sauce.
MEAT OR SAUSAGE:
In addition to vegetables and fish, meat and sausage can be steamed in the steamer. Steaming keeps meat particularly juicy and tender. Poultry, pork or beef can all be gently prepared in this way. Even sausages can be cooked in the steamer so they do not burst and retain their flavour.
YEAST DOUGH OR DUMPLINGS:
Savoury dumplings, bread dumplings, sweet dumplings, and yeast dumplings can also be prepared in the steam cooker. This makes the yeast dumplings particularly fluffy and gives them a pleasant consistency. Steaming yeast dumplings in a pan is a popular way to prepare and enjoy them with a delicious plum filling. Napkin dumplings can also become a delicious accompaniment to savoury dishes in the steamer.
DUMPLINGS IN ANY FORM:
Dumplings, such as the popular gyoza, are an Asian specialty ideal for steaming. The filled dumplings become particularly tender in the steamer and retain their authentic flavour. The cooking time for dumplings in the steamer is relatively short, so they are ready to serve quickly. Ensure you use baking paper to prevent them from sticking.
THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT FOR STEAMING
Steam cooking is becoming increasingly popular in the modern kitchen as it offers a gentle and healthy method of preparing food. Various equipment options make steaming easier and more versatile. Bamboo baskets are a traditional option, but they can have the disadvantage of an inherent odour and need to be dried after use.
PRACTICAL STEAMER INSERTS AS A LOGICAL ADDITION
Steam inserts are an interesting addition to your cookware set, which can be used with conventional pots or our popular STAUB cocotte. They are available in various designs and allow you to steam vegetables, fish, or meat even in a normal saucepan. Thanks to their different sizes and materials, they are a flexible and inexpensive option for integrating steam cooking into your own kitchen.
