Steamers

gargoyle · 8 October 2006 at 1:56PM

My OH has just brought a steamer but it's come with no cooking times whatsoever. Does anybody have a list of times for commonly used veggies and rice etc? Also any good ideas on how to use it would be gratefully received

QueenB_3 · 8 October 2006 at 2:05PM

Hi Gargoyle

I have a saucepan-type steamer and usually put all my veg in (frozen or fresh), steaming away for about 20-25 mins, depending on the quantity and type of veg. My advice would be to keep an eye on the veg until you think it has cooked to the degree you like to eat it and then make a note of the time and stick to that! I think steamers are great because you can just throw everything in and let it do it's thing, knowing that all the goodness in your veg isn't being boiled away! Hope this has been helpful.

John_3:16 · 8 October 2006 at 2:15PM

Many people have good pans that can be used with far less water in than boiling evrything to pulp. Also takes less energy to heat up and cook

CoD_2 · 8 October 2006 at 2:21PM

is it a steamer which fits over a pan or an electric one? apologies but I don't understand John's comment, my steamer (over a pan) is useful as i can put potatoes in the bottom , then the tiers up with different veg, just putting them in as needed, so just one ring is used instead of say 3. nothing goes to pulp, i thought thats what happened to veg in a pressure cooker not a steamer

gargoyle · 8 October 2006 at 4:21PM

Electric one.

dannahaz · 8 October 2006 at 4:49PM

HI Gargoyle

Do you know the manufacturer and model number? It's possible there is a recipe book online.

MEGANE · 8 October 2006 at 6:01PM

Hi Gargoyle I bought an electric one on sale in Sainsburys yesterday (Morphy Richards) tried it today and brilliant everything cooked perfectly. Depending on what you are cooking you put various quantities of water in the bottom
eg potatoes (small new ones) about 12 took 30 mins and broccoli florets above took the same time - don't know if yours is same but you put water in the bottom and a guage on the outside corresponds to the amount of time you want to steam for. (Does this make sense if not let me know and will try and explain differently.

V.Lucky · 8 October 2006 at 8:43PM

I have a Tefal steamer (my 3rd one - love them but the hard water around here does kill them!!).

Potatoes around 35-40mins (size of a egg as the bigger the potato the longer it takes), carrots, cauli, beans 15-20 mins, broccoli, cabbage 8-10mins. The timings are also affected by which basket you put them in. The further away from the water/steam the longer they take.

It's just trial and error really (each one of mine has been slightly different) until you get used to it. You might have either raw or soggy veg until you get the timings right

.

Love mine, use it loads. Can put the dinner in, go and have a shower, get changed and come down and it's ready.

JillD_2 · 9 October 2006 at 12:45AM

we really only use ours for rice.
does yours have a rice bowl ?
Anyway it takes about 40 minutes for 2 huge helpings of rice - about 1/2 a pint of dry rice granules.

foreverskint · 9 October 2006 at 7:43AM

I use mine to steam puddings.

Trouble is mine is an old one, purchased about 10 years ago, and will need replacing soon. The new ones all have shallow baskets, which are no good for pudding steaming.

Has anyone seen one with deep baskets lately?

freyasmum · 9 October 2006 at 11:01AM

I love our steamer. It usually takes about 35-40 minutes for potatoes in our bottom basket. To be perfectly honest, if I haven't cooked certain vegetable in it for so long and check it whilst it's cooking. It also depends on the size of the veg.

foreverskint wrote:

I use mine to steam puddings.

Trouble is mine is an old one, purchased about 10 years ago, and will need replacing soon. The new ones all have shallow baskets, which are no good for pudding steaming.

Has anyone seen one with deep baskets lately?

Unfortunately not as deep as you would probably need. I know it wouldn't be the same, but what about smaller, maybe individual puddings - would that work?

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Steamers

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