Steamers

newster

Is there a thread on steamers? I have a MR three tier one that a friend gave me. It has no instruction book with it. Previously I had a tefal one. With the tefal one I could re-arrange the baskets as needed to get the best of the cooking steam, with the MR one, the baskets have to be tiered in a particular order, and you can't rearrange them so the food in the top basket seems to take ages to cook. When I used it last, I didn't put food in the other baskets until the top basket had cooked a while, which is a pain, because it takes a lot longer to get everything done. Can someone please tell how the best way is to use it. Also, I have a MR electric rice steamer. I don't use it much but would like to. The reason I don't use it is because I find the rice sticks to the bowl. I was wondering if there was any way to prevent this.

Thanks for your help :-)

charlies_mum

I love my steamer, it is a 3 tier one and I just put the veg that cooks quicker in the top tier, cabbage usually.

I do find that carrots take a lot longer in there, so sometimes put them in a pan on the cooker.

Gingham_Ribbon

I have this swan one. I think it's great but the lid broke. Fortunately, I had a pan the same size and use that lid without any problems.

I use it all the time and don't find anything taking particularly longer in the top. I use the top for things that don't take as long to cook and just add them later. Like yesterday, I was cooking cauli and runner beans and I just added the beans about 5 minutes before the cauli was ready. So far nothing has stuck. I don't have experience of rice steamers. We manage okay with it in a pan and don't have room for extra stuff in our small kitchen.

kittykat500

Newster here is a link for a MR 3 tier steamer instruction booklet download

http://www.morphyrichards.co.uk/wizz400/index.pl

You might have to copy it and paste it into your address bar.

morganb

I once had a rice cooker and it always stuck to the bowl, far better IMO to use the microwave, foolproof for me that way.
And I have the Tefal 3 tier steamer which is fab, you just add the veg that don't need to cook so long later, but the baskets do need to be arranged in a certain order.

nicki_2

I prefer to cook my rice in my electric steamer...infact I'm thinking of making tonight tea entirely in the steamer Steamed rice is soooo much nicer than boiled

kippers

I love my steamer for cooking chicken breast and i also use it for cooking veg when i have alot of veg ie xmas or steam puds etc. However, i don't use it on a day to day basis as 1) One of the tiers broke and i had to buy a replacement and was told that the plastic breaks easily when you put it in the dishwasher and 2) we hate soggy veg and it always goes soggy as i just can't time it right.

morganb

nicki wrote: »

I prefer to cook my rice in my electric steamer...infact I'm thinking of making tonight tea entirely in the steamer Steamed rice is soooo much nicer than boiled

Go on, do tell, how long do you steam it for, I am quite fussy about my rice ... and how on earth do people get the water with all the veg juice in out of the steamer, I spend ages spooning it out to make vitamin-enriched gravy ...

fizzel81

any ideas for a good steamer on a budget? say under 25 (if its possibel may be able to go a little over)

i bought a tesco value one just b4 xmas by march time the bottom basket cracked making it unusable, i would like to buy another as it will save using the cooker as i steam chicken/fish, pots and veg and can get enough for me and the boys in one steamer, it will also save the problem of me not having a cooker when i have to move out the army quarter untill i can afford to buy one

meanmarie

It has to be me! I was given an electric steamer a few years ago and could never manage to cook properly in it...maybe I'll try again but TBH I use a stainless steel one with two ss baskets that I bought in argos for around €15...they do a bigger one as well, can't remember its price. I rarely cook potatoes or veg except in steamer and find that it is wonderful when my extended family are around making 16 for dinner.

Marie

purplecatlover

fizzel81 wrote: »

any ideas for a good steamer on a budget? say under 25 (if its possibel may be able to go a little over)

i bought a tesco value one just b4 xmas by march time the bottom basket cracked making it unusable, i would like to buy another as it will save using the cooker as i steam chicken/fish, pots and veg and can get enough for me and the boys in one steamer, it will also save the problem of me not having a cooker when i have to move out the army quarter untill i can afford to buy one

i saw one in comet yesterday that was 24ish quid, but i didn't have quite enough cash on me so didn't buy it but i intend to. i think it was a tefal one, and i'm almost sure it was on offer. i forgot to go back for it today though.