Help - cooking with steamer

Agutka

The healthiest meal I ever had. Chicken on the bottom, veggies in the middle, rice in the top compartment. It all tasted so very different to normal. Hubby hated it because I didn't give him sauce :rolleyes: .
I think rice goes first (40-50), then veggies (30-40), then the chicken (20??-30 minutes). Just don't burn yourself when taking layers off to add next ingredient. (Stuff at the bottom is ready quickest)

pboae

I lost this thread for a while! Thanks for the suggestions, I'll give it a go and as long as I don't poison someone, how bad can it be??? ;-)

culpepper

I have an old fashioned contraption that cooks a whole meal on one ring and works like a steamer. You put veg and meat in the bottom,then potatoes in the next layer and a pudding in the top in 2 half pans with foil over so they dont get wet. It does cook the potatoes right through and they turn out rather like microwaved baked potatoes.You can easily put a pudding bowl with a tight fitting lid in the bottom for meat puds etc.
You can do soup in the bottom too and most things will cook wrapped in foil.
Remember to top up the water or liquid from time to time.
I mostly use it when camping although it is very large (about 16" tall).

BWZN93

I always use a steamer for rice as I find it gets 'gluey' when its boiled. I always get perfect rice in the steamer - put the rice in the bowl and put enought water in the bowl to just cover the rice, add water to the bottom and steam for 25 mins.

Perfect!

Jo x

specsappeal

I cook steak & kidney puddings (2 for £1.49 in Tesco) in the bottom tier, new potatoes in the middle tier and broccolli in the top tier. complete meal with no hassle at all.
I have never cooked rice in my steamer though but think i will give it a go.

Ted_Hutchinson

pboae wrote:

I can't see it being cost effective to use the steamer, if I can't cook the whole lot in it at once.

But cooking food isn't simply about costs. I appreciate that this is a moneysaving forum but if you boil your veg the nutrients leach into the water and unless you ensure the water the veg was cooked in is used in the gravy, you are not getting best value for money.

Read Changes in the content of health-promoting compounds and antioxidant activity of broccoli after domestic processing.
The results indicated that steam-cooking of broccoli results in an increase in polyphenols, as well as the main glucosinolates and their total content as compared with fresh broccoli, whereas cooking in water has the opposite effect. Steam-cooking of broccoli has no influence on vitamin C, whereas cooking in water significantly lowers its content. Both, water- and steam-cooking of broccoli results in an increase in beta-carotene, lutein, and alpha- and gamma-tocopherols as compared with fresh broccoli. Similar effects of steaming and water-cooking of broccoli on their antioxidant activity were observed

So STEAMED brocolli is better than uncooked or boiled brocolli. I am sure the same will apply to all veg. So even if you think it is not being used to it's maximum, cost effective, potential it's still better for your health.

pboae

Thanks for the info Ted_H. I do usually steam my veg now, but I do it in a metal steamer over a pan. It's good to know there's a nutrional benefit too.

I would never have thought of doing puddings either. I still haven't quite plucked up the courage to use the electric steamer yet, but I might try chicken, veg and rice tomorrow.

redmel1621

Has anybody here ever steam cooked frozen veg, I'm not sure if you can. But my dishwsher won't be finished in time for dinner and the potatoes will go cold if I take them out whist coking the veg.
Thanks
Mel x

needaspirin

You can cook them in a steamer but they will take longer.

Why not press the stop button and carefully open the dishwasher. Remove the wanted pan and wash by hand. Not forgetting to restart the dishwasher?

I've done this when I needed something from there myself>

redmel1621

Thanks needaspirin.........this was my other option, if the veg takes longer in steamer I may aswell do this

thanks again

Melx