Healthy steam cooking preferably fruits and vegetables. Steaming is one of the methods that are very healthy! Why?
Usually because they do not use spices directly and thus prepared dishes are lighter and more digestible.
This is a simple method and is suitable mainly for cooking vegetables and fish. Cooking of meat is not recommended as in the preparation of meat require higher temperatures that do not disperse juices which it is contained.
Among vegetables, those who are best suited to be steamed leafy vegetables, fleshy vegetables – zucchini and carrots. The potatoes can be cooked without peel, in order to maintain maximum starch and nutrition.
What is the basic principle Steamer
Food is cooked with steam that is generated by the boiling water comes into direct contact and at a constant and high temperature (for example, the pressure cooker).
Thus avoiding large losses of minerals, vitamins and nutrients.
Secrets for perfect steam?
• There are special pots for cooking “steam” that are stackable.
In fact, what you need is just a pot grille and hood – or else that allows you to keep food raised above the water;
• Food is not set in advance, and when the water boils;
• Water should not touch the food during cooking;
• Be sure to put a lid during cooking and be careful not to burn when the lid is lifted;
• Remove the vegetables when they are al dente, thus maintaining the flavor and attractive appearance;
• If you want to pass a special taste and decide to suffocate food, water flavored with lemon, wine, vinegar, seasonings as desired. Arrange the products so that they do not fit snugly together. There must be a distance between them in order for the steam to circulate freely and to prepare the dish evenly.
Meat, fish or juicy steam products should be stacked underneath so that the juices and fat they release when heated do not pour over the other products cooked with them in the pan. If you want to give a more spicy taste to the food – marinate it in advance. Another option is to add aromatic spices, broth or wine to the water.
The advantage of steaming is that the products retain their shape, taste, color and, above all, their nutritional qualities. In other cooking methods (due to heat treatment), the vitamins in the products are reduced and the minerals go into the sauce of the meal.