How to Use the Bamboo Blue Ginger Steamer Set

Ming Tsai opened his Blue Ginger Restaurant in 1998, located in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The establishment quickly became known for its "East-West" cuisine, a product of the proprietor's childhood spent learning Asian cooking in his parents' Chinese restaurant, coupled with his Cordon Bleu training. The entrepreneur-chef has expanded his culinary empire in several directions: He's expanded the restaurant and developed a food allergy reference book; he also sells Blue Ginger pre-made meals, and hosts a public television cooking show, "Simply Ming." His line of bamboo kitchen tools includes the Blue Ginger Steamer Set, for use by "chefs" at home.

Things You'll Need

• Chopsticks or tongs
• Wok or pot
• Bite-sized pieces of food

Instructions

1. 

   Bamboo is a versatile, fast-growing plant.

   Wash the pieces of the steamer in warm, soapy water. Do not leave them to soak, as the bamboo could swell and cause the bindings to come apart. Scrub off as much of the blue color from the lacings of the Blue Ginger Bamboo Steamer Set as possible, to avoid having the color run into the bamboo during cooking. Take care not to break the fibers holding the bamboo slats in the bottom of each pan in place. Remove all traces of soap. Keep in mind that later models of this product may not have the blue coloring on the bindings and handle, so the color bleeding problem will not be an issue.

2. 

   The Blue Ginger Bamboo Steamer should fit in a wok.

   Fill a pot to one-third full with water. Alternatively, fill a wok with water to a level just below where the steamer rests inside. If using a pot, make sure the size of the pot is less than 10 inches in diameter so that the steamer can fit across the top of it without falling through. Stack the steamer assembly, complete with lid, over the wok or pot.

3. 

   Steamers are an integral part of Asian cooking.

   Turn on the heat and let the steam fill the steamer for at least 30 minutes, in order to properly season it before actual use.

4. 

   Won-ton wrappers hold food together.

   Prepare the food to be steamed. Make the pieces bite-sized, to ensure even heating, and to facilitate the use of chopsticks once cooked. Use won-ton wrappers to contain any pieces that might otherwise fall apart. Place the food in the baskets of the Blue Ginger Bamboo Steamer. Fill the wok so that the water level is just below the first basket in the stack. Give the food pieces sufficient air space between them to allow for the free flow of the steam. Stack the baskets above the steam, and cover the whole ensemble with the lid. Keep the heat high enough to allow the steam to build in the steamer.

5. 

   Steamed food maintains color and nutrition much better than foods cooked using other methods.

   Check the food after the number of minutes prescribed in the recipe. Lift the lid by inserting a chopstick or wooden spoon into the rattan handle at the top, to avoid steam burns. Remove fully-cooked food, replacing with raw pieces to be steamed, as desired. Serve the cooked food immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• Nothing says the steaming liquid has to be plain water: Add herbs or broth to introduce subtle flavors to the food as it heats.

• Food sticking to the slats can be a problem, and the porous bamboo can absorb odor and flavors. Lining the slats with parchment paper or lettuce leaves will prevent this problem.

References

• Ming Tsai website
• How to Use Asian Bamboo Steamer