Steam cooking is an Asian, centuries old, alternative to our conventional Western wet heat cooking methods. The standard tool used for steam cooking, the bamboo steamer, is a versatile object that has found a place in Western kitchens over the last decades. It is a simple, lightweight, durable artifact made entirely of bamboo, an abundant, renewable, material with a long tradition in Asian everyday environments. Bamboo steamers have slowly percolated into our culinary culture and are widely available in specialized and even mainstream kitchen stores. They are also relatively inexpensive. A steamer set usually includes 3 stackable pieces, 2 steamer layers and a lid. The steamer layers are cylindrical slices about 3 in. (7.5 cm.) thick, with a bamboo grill at the bottom, where food is placed for cooking. The size of the steamer varies, although a standard size could be 10" in. (25 cm.) in diameter and 6. 25 in. (15.8 cm.) in height. Bamboo steam cooking has tangible health advantages, such as better controlling the texture and color of vegetables, or making more nutritious meals since fewer vitamins and minerals are lost in the cooking process. To cook the food, the steamer is placed over a wok or a pot of boiling water. Sometimes herbs can be added to the water to allow an aromatic flavor to permeate the food when cooking. Yet another advantage to using this tool is that the process yields a delicious soup stock in the bottom of the pot.
