How to properly steam rice, meat, fish and vegetables. Steamed cutlets without a steamer

Many people recommend steamed dishes for health reasons. Firstly, this is the most gentle food for patients with digestive disorders; it is better absorbed by the body. Secondly, with this cooking method, the maximum possible amount of microelements and vitamins found in raw foods is preserved. After all, when frying or boiling, part useful substances contained in food is destroyed. In addition, boiling oil produces substances that are harmful to the liver and stomach. Thirdly, the food is low in calories - unlike dishes cooked in fat or oil.
Steaming food has its own subtleties. All products are placed in a steamer or pan with a special steam basket (instead, you can use a colander of a suitable size). The pan must be covered with a lid. Water is poured into the bottom of the pan, which, when boiling, evaporates and penetrates through the holes in the steam basket, “steaming” and cooking the food in it. It is better to cook in a double boiler without salt, and salt the food already on the plate - this will reduce salt consumption to a minimum.

WHO NEEDS A STEAM KITCHEN
To all people who care about their health.
Patients with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, cholecystitis, gastroduodenitis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, etc.
People suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system and atherosclerosis.
If you are overweight, have metabolic disorders, allergies, etc.
Children, pregnant women, elderly people.
Any person with frequent and prolonged stress, increased workload, lack of sleep, etc.

Learning to steam cook

You can steam any lean meat, cut into portions. As it is ready (and it needs to be “steamed” for 30–40 minutes), it changes color, becomes soft and tender. At this point, you can sprinkle it with salt, season with spices, garlic and cook for another 10 minutes. And if the meat is pre-marinated with onions and spices, its taste will be more piquant.
They turn out delicious steam dishes from minced meat – cutlets, meatballs, etc. First, we make the cutlet mass by grinding onions and a piece of lean beef or veal, chicken or turkey fillet through a meat grinder and adding bread soaked in milk, an egg, and spices. After kneading the resulting mass, shape it into cutlets or meatballs and place them to “steam” for 10–30 minutes, depending on the size.
An unusual dish is steam roll. Spread the cutlet mass in an even layer 1.5 cm thick on two-layer gauze moistened with water. In the middle, place in an even layer either boiled rice with herbs, or a finely chopped hard-boiled egg, or another filling. Then, lifting the gauze on one side, we cover the filling so that the edges of the layer of cutlet mass are connected to each other. After this, roll the roll, seam side down, from the gauze onto the grate of a steam pan and steam it. You can cook the roll directly in gauze and remove it when the dish is cooked. Before serving, cut the roll into pieces.
Steamed fish (fillet of pike perch, catfish, pike, burbot, salmon, etc.) turns out much tastier than regular boiled fish. The prepared pieces should be placed in one row in a double boiler or pan, and spices should be added. And instead of water, pour in broth made from the bones, fins and tail of the fish.
Fish cutlets are prepared in the same way as meat cutlets.
Steamed vegetables retain the aroma and most vitamins and do not become watery. The fresher the vegetable, the tastier the dish.
You can cook any vegetables: spinach, pumpkin, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, beets, turnips, carrots, potatoes, beans, etc. Small vegetables are usually cooked whole. Spinach and cabbage are separated into leaves. Larger vegetables are chopped.
You can mix vegetables different sizes, but the main thing is to remember the cooking time. Vegetables that take longer to cook are placed in the steamer earlier. It is important not to steam them too long, otherwise they will lose their beneficial features. When you turn off the heat, the vegetables should still have a slight “crunch” inside. They need to be left under the lid for a few more minutes, and they will “reach”. It is better to serve steamed vegetables with a slice of lemon, olive oil and ground black pepper.
You can even steam buns and pies . Here, for example, is how you can prepare sweet buns: knead yeast dough from flour, sugar, yeast, eggs and a glass of warm water. Leave it to rise for 2-3 hours in a warm place. Then roll out the dough into a rectangular layer 0.7 cm thick, brush the surface with jam, roll into a roll and cut into equal pieces. Make buns from each piece, brush them with syrup and steam (preferably in a pressure cooker) at high boil for 30 minutes.
Dumplings and dumplings (manti) are also steamed. . To make lazy potato dumplings, peel the potatoes, place them in a steamer and cook for 8-12 minutes (or boil). Then mix cottage cheese with potatoes, add 2 egg yolks mashed with butter, flour, starch, whipped whites, salt and knead the dough. Roll “sausages” from the resulting mass, cut them into pieces (slices). Place the resulting dumplings in a steamer and cook for 5–8 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

Steam food recipes

Meatballs with steamed potatoes

This is a very tasty, healthy and, importantly, “quick” dish. Peel the potatoes, place them in a saucepan and pour in enough water to just cover the potatoes. Let it cook, adding salt. While the water is boiling, prepare the minced meat for the cutlets and form it into round balls (like large meatballs). Five minutes after the potatoes have boiled, place the meat balls directly on the potatoes. It is important that the potatoes boil, then the meatballs will set quickly and will not fall apart. Cover with a lid and bring everything to readiness over low heat. At the same time you get delicious meatballs and potatoes with broth.

Steamed lamb with vegetables

Cut the lamb into wide slices, beat, salt and pepper. Cut the potatoes into slices, carrots into slices, broccoli and cauliflower into inflorescences. Place the vegetables in layers on the steamer rack, with a layer of potatoes on top. Salt, pepper, sprinkle with cumin and dill, place garlic cloves and pieces of meat on top of the potatoes, cover with a lid. Steam the lamb with vegetables for 1.5–2 hours. When serving, place the lamb on a plate and arrange the vegetables around. You can serve sour cream separately.

Manti with pumpkin

Knead a stiff dough from flour, salt, eggs and water (like dumplings). Cover it with a damp cloth for half an hour, then roll it into a rope, cut into pieces and roll into thin circles with a diameter of 9–10 cm (the edges of the cakes should be thinner than the middle). Place the minced meat on the flatbreads and pinch the edges. Steam the manti for 20–25 minutes, serve with sour cream or butter.
For the minced meat: cut the pumpkin into small cubes, add finely chopped lard and onions. You can also prepare manti with meat, cottage cheese, zucchini, spinach and other fillings.

Beef dumplings

For the dough, combine flour with salt and water, stirring continuously. Leave it to “rest” for half an hour. Then divide the dough into balls, roll each one out, place a ball in the middle minced meat, and pinch the edges, leaving a hole. Place the dumplings in a greased container so that they do not touch each other (pre-grease the steamer rack with oil). Steam the dumplings until done.
For the filling: combine soy sauce with starch, add minced beef, chopped parsley, carrots, green onions, dill, salt and pepper.

Chicken rolls

Beat the chicken fillet, place the minced meat, roll it into rolls and fasten with wooden skewers. Place the rolls on a greased steamer rack and steam for 40 minutes. When serving, remove the skewers from the rolls, cut and place on a platter. You can serve brown rice as a side dish.
For the minced meat: cut the ham into strips, mix with grated cheese, add salt, pepper, sage and a little rum (you can do without it).

Egg white omelette

Beat the egg whites with a whisk, gradually pouring in the milk, and add salt to the mixture. Pour the milk-protein mixture into a greased portion mold and cook it in a water bath. Serve the omelette in a ramekin.

Steamed zebra cake

Beat the egg whites of 5 eggs. Separately mix the yolks with sugar (120 g), flour (170 g), vanilla, then carefully fold in the whipped whites. Divide the resulting dough into two parts, mix cocoa powder into one. Place foil in a rice container and spoon two colors of dough into it, alternating. Cover the top of the container with foil and steam for 35–45 minutes. Then remove the foil, cut the cake into portions, pour over orange juice and sprinkle with coconut flakes.

This is perhaps the most gentle method heat treatment, invented over centuries of development of culinary technology.

The product is evenly heated with moist steam, and the food retains as much nutrients and natural taste as possible.

Technically, doing this is indecently simple. For example, like this. A small amount of water is poured into any pan of a suitable size - as a rule, no more than a quarter of the volume, but not less than 250 ml. Then the dishes are placed on the fire, the water is brought to a boil. And then a banal metal colander or the same sieve is placed on the pan, where the product prepared for heat treatment lies - washed, peeled, chopped, seasoned or even wrapped in cling film. |The pan and colander are covered with a lid - that’s all, actually. Sort of. In reality, everything is not so simple. Steam can seriously burn you. Therefore, the lid of a pan with a colander or sieve (or the lid of a double boiler) must be opened away from you. Steamed food always takes longer to cook than liquid. This is where the first snag awaits us. A long cooking time gives the cook the illusion that the product cannot be overcooked in this way. As much as possible. So let's be careful. And first things first.
Cultural Revolution

Like most kitchen appliances and methods of processing food, steaming was invented by the Chinese. And of course they don’t use any metal colanders. Anyone who has seen a movie about Chinese life, where they not only fight, but also eat, has probably noticed the characteristic straw baskets that are placed one on top of the other. This is a Chinese steamer. These baskets are woven from bamboo straw. The bottom one is placed in a wok pan with boiling water, and the rest are placed one on top of the other. The convex bottom of the pan allows you to install steamers of different sizes, and thanks to the beveled edges, it's easy to add a little more water if necessary. This way you can cook several different dishes, or just one.

In China, it is not customary to steam vegetables, with the exception of eggplants (by the way, in vain). But freshly caught fish is generally cooked exclusively by steaming. And also a variety of Chinese dumplings.

The steamer should be positioned so that the boiling water is 2-3 cm below its bottom, and the product being prepared is no closer than 2-3 cm from its walls. If the product is juicy, it should be cooked in a deep plate so that the taste and aroma are not lost. If it is not going to leak juices, you can put it directly into the steamer. You should not cook in more than two tiers of a bamboo steamer. In third, upper tier The steam is not hot enough for cooking, it is only suitable for reheating food. By the way, heating food in a double boiler is convenient and correct, because in this case the food never dries out.

Steaming occurs over low heat. You can put a few coins at the bottom of a container of water; as long as there is enough water, they will ring; the ensuing silence will tell you that it’s time to add boiling water.

The main inconvenience of using bamboo steamers is the need to ensure that the edges of the lower basket in contact with the hot wok are not burnt. Caring for this Chinese invention is simple: after use, you need to wash it immediately hot water and wipe dry. And since bamboo steamers are usually very beautiful, sometimes dishes are served directly in them.

Evgenia (Tressa) From a practicality point of view, it is much more interesting to use the Central Asian modification of a double boiler, known to the entire population of the former Soviet Union like a manty fish. It is usually made of aluminum and cannot burn. In addition to manti, you can cook anything in it. A product that needs to be heated more strongly - meat, fish - is placed in the lower tier, and a dish that needs less heating - for example, vegetables - in the upper tier. Thais cannot imagine life without a steamer, as well as without steamed rice. . Thai jasmine rice, steamed, is very different in consistency and smell from simmering in a pan of water. The Thais claim that it tastes better.
Recipes
Plateau of fish and seafood with apple sauce
Egg poche with spinach and spicy butter
Steamed lean lamb with marinated mozzarella and pear
Orange panna cotta with chocolate and strawberry chips
In search of perfection

In addition to the normal steaming that occurs during normal atmospheric pressure, there is also steaming at high pressure. This is how food is prepared in industrial boilers and in household pressure cookers.

Although boiling water can never reach a temperature above 100? C, at closed lid pressure cooker, the pressure increases and the steam temperature reaches 121? C. Thus, food is cooked on average three times faster than in the usual way, in boiling water. The liquid does not evaporate from the pressure cooker, so just half a glass of boiling water is enough.

To steam food in a pressure cooker, they are placed on a special rack included with any “speed pot” so that they are processed by steam and not cooked in water. It is important that the product takes up no more than two-thirds of the volume of the pressure cooker. One more thing: before use, hold the pressure cooker lid up to a light source and look into the steam hole; it must be closed. And, of course, you need to make sure that the hole does not become clogged during the cooking process. This ends the safety precautions.

If you are cooking delicate vegetables in a pressure cooker, after finishing the process, place it in cold water- this way it will cool faster and the vegetables will not be overcooked.

By the way, you can use these juices to prepare a sauce for the dish. Moreover, the sauce will turn out to be very elegant - non-greasy, without burnt pieces.

Steam cooking is available on some models microwave ovens, thermal processors and convection ovens. They are more complicated than just steamers. The liquid necessary for the formation of steam is usually poured into a special capsule; it heats up and steam fills the oven chamber. Sensors located in the chamber monitor the temperature of the steam, its saturation, as well as the formation of condensation. As soon as the cooking conditions deviate from the ideal, either the ventilation is turned on or another portion of steam is supplied.

You can influence the taste of a steamed product by changing the composition of the steam-forming liquid. You can use mixtures of water with wine, beer, various decoctions, and also add to water spices. And when cooking meat, add a small amount of wine vinegar to the water.

An absolutely amazing result can be achieved by combining two techniques - cooking in a vacuum and steaming. The product is properly seasoned (“properly” in this case means that all seasonings and spices are added at once, including sauces and evaporated wine), placed in a sealed bag, vacuum-sealed and placed in a double boiler. Cooking occurs only due to internal

Evgenia (Tressa) Pros and cons

The main argument against it is the very inexpressive taste. But nothing prevents you from combining several cooking methods in one dish. For example, serve steamed fish with quickly fried vegetables or even puff pastry with vegetables. And for steamed meat - some kind of delicate sauce. By the way, you can also steam it - many classic sauces are prepared this way, completely unable to tolerate direct contact with fire. Another argument in favor of steam.

Tags: How to steam vegetables without a steamer

Welcome to our channel! Here we share secrets on how to cook quickly, tasty, and most importantly...

IN Soviet time The cooks have gotten used to steaming almost all dishes without a steamer: chicken and meat cutlets, vegetables and fish, casseroles...

How to steam if you don't have a steamer? | Topic author: Sergey

I understand, but I only have a plastic colander....

Nikolay In a large saucepan with a small amount of water, place a suitable sized plate or enamel dish upside down. On top you put the same with the products that need to be cooked, put it on the fire and close the lid tightly. This is an option without a colander. And in principle, every household should have a perforated liner suitable for pots of any size. It is inexpensive, but the benefits are significant.

Victor) A colander will help you!
You can cook in a regular saucepan with a lid, placing a colander in it. When steaming, you need to add a little water to the bottom of the pan, which produces steam when heated.
What are we cooking?
This is how you cook RICE.
Pour 3/4 of salted water into a wide saucepan, stretch a linen napkin on top, and tie its edges around the pan. Put it on fire. As soon as the water boils, pour the rice onto a napkin and cover it with a lid or an inverted plate. Spread some melted butter Gennady. Cook at a constant boil for about 30 minutes.

Vadim Put what needs to be cooked in a colander and place it on a wide pan of water over high heat. The water will boil away, steam will pass through the food and it will be ready.

Leonid take a pan of water, when the water boils, put a colander with food on top, and cover with a lid :)) everything is original - simple :))

Valery pours water into the pan, takes an ordinary colander, puts the food in and covers with a lid. ALL

Artem Place a colander on top of a pan of water, but make sure it does not touch the water that is poured into the pan. cover with a lid on top. Here's a steamer for you. Bon appetit. If you have foil at home, you can bake food in foil, it will be almost like in a double boiler. the food is not fatty, but in its own juice.

Sasha You put a colander in a saucepan and cook

Nikita esli est mikrovolnovka to mojno v nei.. tolko polojit prodykt v celofan

Ivan Pour water into a deep saucepan, bring to a boil and use a colander. If it is not there, place something from a convenient dish on the bottom, I use glasses and put a net on them. In extreme cases, place a shallow plate. Good luck!

Pavel, a plastic colander is quite suitable, so go ahead and prepare it

How to steam without a steamer - YouTube

Today I will teach you how to steam cook without a steamer. If you don’t have a steamer in your kitchen, but still want to cook healthy food...

Steamed without a steamer: cutlets, fish, vegetables, rice | CHILDREN'S...

How can you steam a dish for a child without a steamer? ... Using these methods you can steam vegetables, rice, fish, cutlets for your child...

Fish must be eaten at least once a week. More useful product will happen if you steam it. Such dishes are not only tasty, but also low in calories, they do not contain oil, so they do not harm our body! Not everyone has a steamer in their home, and not all multicookers have the function of steaming dishes. How to steam food without a steamer? In fact, there are several ways, and we will be happy to share them with you! Also in this article you will find recipes for steamed fish without a steamer. With the help of our tips, you can cook not only pieces of fish, but also cutlets, and also create a complete dish at once - fish with a side dish.

How to steam without a steamer or multicooker?

With help simple tricks you can cook healthy dish steamed without use modern technologies. All you need is gas or electric stove, deep saucepan.

How to steam fish without a steamer? You can create a steamer from scrap items. The ideal way would be:

Pour some water into the pan.
Place a metal colander in the pan and place pieces of fish or fish cutlets into it.

If you don’t have a metal colander, you can simply use a piece of gauze that is secured in the pan. You can tie this piece by the handles, put the fish in it, cover the pan with a lid and cook.

If the colander has large holes, and you want to cook fish with a side dish, for example, rice, then you can place cheesecloth on top of the colander.

Steamed fish with lemon

To prepare this dish, you can use any fish, but the recipe calls for hake. This contains many useful substances and proteins. Steamed hake is also a healthy food that is suitable for dietary nutrition. The side dish can be absolutely anything - vegetable salad, stewed vegetables, boiled or mashed potatoes, cereals.

Ingredients for steamed fish:

500-600 grams of fillet of any fish, but hake is better;
big lemon;
a little sunflower oil;
salt and seasonings.

Steamed fish without a steamer is very easy to prepare; we showed you how this can be done using the means at hand. To prepare this recipe, it is advisable to use a colander, but cheesecloth will also work if you stretch it well.

Preparation:

Cut the fish into portions, rub with seasonings and salt.
Place the colander in a saucepan filled with water so that it does not reach the colander even when boiling.
Grease a colander with a small amount of sunflower oil to prevent the pieces from sticking.
Place the fish and place a slice of lemon on each piece.

Steaming fish without a steamer will take 30 minutes. At this time, it is advisable not to open the lid.

Steamed fish with vegetables

To cook steamed fish immediately with a side dish, you don’t need to have a steamer or multicooker at home! We suggest considering a dish consisting of sea bass and various vegetables. You can use either a ready-made vegetable mixture or one you create yourself from your favorite vegetables!

Ingredients:

one sea bass;
cauliflower or broccoli;
bell pepper;
leaf salad;
asparagus;
lemon;
allspice and salt.

The preparation is very simple:

Cut the perch into pieces, first gutting and removing the scales.
Rub each piece with salt and allspice.
Grease a colander with a small amount of sunflower oil and place pieces of fish on it. Spray lemon juice.
Place chopped vegetables on top of the fish; they should also be lightly salted.
Steam for 30-35 minutes.

When serving, you can add fresh tomatoes to your plates!

Steamed fish with rice

How to cook steamed fish without a steamer, and even with a side dish of rice? Women's cunning has always helped housewives in the kitchen, so we'll use it! Let's prepare a hearty, tasty and healthy dish for the whole family, spending a minimum of time.

Ingredients:

any fish - according to the number of servings;
a glass of rice;
pickled corn;
salt and seasonings.

Preparation:

The rice needs to be soaked and freed from starch.
Cut the fish into steaks, removing the bones. Salt and season each piece, leave to soak for 10-15 minutes.
Place cheesecloth in a colander, lay rice on top of it in an even layer, and add a little salt.
Place the fish on the rice, preferably so that the steaks completely cover the rump.
Steam for thirty to forty minutes until the rice is completely cooked.

The rice will taste amazing, because it will be saturated with fish aroma and seasonings. When serving on plates, place pickled corn on the edge, it will be very tasty!

Steamed catfish in cranberry sauce

Catfish is an oily fish, and not everyone will like it fried. It is much tastier and healthier to steam this fish. You already know how to cook without a double boiler. Now we invite you to get acquainted with an amazingly simple recipe for making catfish. But the taste of the dish will be incredibly bright!

Ingredients:

medium-sized catfish;
a glass of cranberries;
one lemon;
salt;
several sprigs of rosemary;
allspice.

Preparation:

Remove the peel from the lemon. Place the lemon and cranberries in a blender and puree. If you don’t have a blender, then pass through a meat grinder, or mash with a fork. Salt - a teaspoon of salt is enough, add allspice.
Divide the catfish into steaks, place in the marinade, and leave to soak for an hour.
Place the fish pieces in a colander and place it in the pan. Place rosemary sprigs on top of steaks. Cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes from the moment the water boils.

Boiled rice or mashed potatoes, since the taste of these dishes is neutral, and it will not overpower the aroma and taste of steamed catfish in cranberry-lemon sauce.

Sturgeon with sauce

Let's steam the king fish and serve it under delicious sauce! This dish is suitable not only for dinner with the family, but also for serving at the holiday table.

The following ingredients will be required:

sturgeon - half a kilo;
lemon;
olives or olives without bones;
dry white wine - five spoons;
100 grams of butter;
a tablespoon of flour;
Provencal herbs;
salt;
allspice.

Cooking fish:

Cut the sturgeon into pieces, add salt and pepper. Place in a greased colander.
Place chopped olives on top of the pieces and pour wine over them.
Steam the fish for 30 minutes.

Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the flour in it.
As soon as the flour turns brown, pour half a glass of broth from the pan in which the sturgeon was steamed into the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring.
Add Provencal herbs or fresh herbs, squeeze lemon juice, stir. If necessary, you can add a little salt, but the sauce should be salty, since the broth from cooking the fish was added to it.

When serving, pour the resulting sauce over the fish.

Steamed fish cutlets

Steaming cutlets is no more difficult than just pieces of fish. If you are tired of fried foods, then try making steamed cutlets from any of your favorite fish.

Ingredients:

500 grams of fish fillet;
bulb;
carrot;
egg;
salt and pepper.

Now let’s make delicious, juicy cutlets from these products!

The fillet needs to be minced in a meat grinder along with the peeled onion.
Boil the carrots, cut into smaller cubes, add to minced fish.
Mix the minced meat with the egg, salt and pepper.
Grease the surface of the colander with oil, place the formed cutlets, rolling them in flour. Cook for 20 minutes.

You can use whatever your heart desires as a side dish! It can be boiled cereal or potatoes, mashed potatoes, a mixture of boiled vegetables or a fresh salad.

Conclusion

We shared secrets and recipes with which you can steam fish without a steamer at home. Now you know that steamed dishes can be not only healthy, but also very tasty. The recipes published in this article will help diversify your table!

Steaming food is perhaps the most gentle method of heat treatment. The product is evenly heated with moist steam, and the food retains as much nutrients and natural taste as possible. How to steam rice, meat, fish and vegetables correctly? We'll tell you

What's the point

Pour a small amount of water into any suitable size pan. As a rule, no more than a quarter of the volume, but not less than 250 ml. Then the dishes are placed on the fire, the water is brought to a boil. And then a banal metal colander or the same sieve is placed on the pan, where the product prepared for heat treatment lies - washed, peeled, chopped, seasoned or even wrapped in cling film. The pan and colander are covered with a lid - that's all. Sort of. In reality, everything is not so simple. Steamed food always takes longer to cook than liquid. A long cooking time gives the cook the illusion that the product cannot be overcooked in this way. As much as possible. So let's talk about everything in order.

Cultural Revolution

Like most kitchen appliances and food processing methods, steaming was invented by the Chinese. And of course they don’t use any metal colanders. Anyone who has seen a movie about Chinese life, where they not only fight, but also eat, has probably noticed the characteristic straw baskets that are placed one on top of the other. This is a Chinese steamer. These baskets are woven from bamboo straw. The bottom one is placed in a wok pan with boiling water, and the rest are placed one on top of the other. The convex bottom of the pan allows you to install steamers of different sizes, and thanks to the beveled edges, it's easy to add a little more water if necessary. This way you can cook several different dishes, or just one.

The steamer should be positioned so that the boiling water is 2-3 cm below its bottom, and the product being prepared is no closer than 2-3 cm from its walls. If the product is juicy, it should be cooked in a deep plate so that the taste and aroma are not lost. If it is not going to leak juices, you can put it directly into the steamer. Cook in more than two tiers bamboo steamer not worth it. In the third, upper tier, the steam is not hot enough for cooking; it is only suitable for heating food. By the way, heating food in a double boiler is convenient and correct, because in this case the food never dries out.

The main inconvenience of using bamboo steamers is the need to ensure that the edges of the lower basket in contact with the hot wok are not burnt. Caring for this Chinese invention is simple: after use, you should immediately wash it with hot water and wipe dry. And since bamboo steamers are usually very beautiful, sometimes dishes are served directly in them.

From a practicality point of view, it is much more interesting to use the Central Asian modification of the steamer, known to the entire population of the former Soviet Union as Mantyshnitsa. It is usually made of aluminum and cannot burn. In addition to manti, you can cook anything in it. A product that needs to be heated more strongly - meat, fish - is placed in the lower tier, and a dish that needs less heating - for example, vegetables - in the upper tier.

In search of perfection

In addition to conventional steaming, which occurs at normal atmospheric pressure, there is also steaming at elevated pressure. This is how food is prepared in industrial boilers and in domestic boilers. pressure cookers. Although boiling water can never reach a temperature higher than 100°C, when the lid of the pressure cooker is closed, the pressure increases and the steam temperature reaches 121°C. Thus, products are cooked on average 3 times faster than in the usual way, in boiling water. The liquid does not evaporate from the pressure cooker, so it is enough to pour only half a glass of boiling water into it.

If you are cooking delicate vegetables in a pressure cooker, after finishing the process, place it in cold water - this way it will cool faster and the vegetables will not be overcooked.

But steaming at atmospheric pressure has also undergone improvements. Cooking in a modern electric steamer is much more convenient than using a saucepan and colander. This device is simpler than an iron. At the base is a container in which water is brought to a boil using a heating element. One or more steam baskets are installed on top, the top of which is closed with a lid. Condensation and juice draining from food are collected in a special tray. By the way, you can use these juices to prepare a sauce for the dish. Moreover, the sauce will turn out to be very elegant - non-greasy, without burnt pieces. The possibility of steaming is provided in some models of microwave ovens, thermal processors and convection ovens. They are more complicated than just steamers. The liquid necessary for the formation of steam is usually poured into a special capsule; it heats up and steam fills the oven chamber. Sensors located in the chamber monitor the temperature of the steam, its saturation, as well as the formation of condensation. As soon as the cooking conditions deviate from the ideal, either the ventilation is turned on or another portion of steam is supplied.

You can influence the taste of a steamed product by changing the composition of the steam-forming liquid. You can use mixtures of water with wine, beer, various decoctions, and also add herbs to the water. And when cooking meat, add a small amount of wine vinegar to the water.

Only pros and a little against

The main argument in favor of using this ancient technology has always been its sheer usefulness. No carcinogens, excess fats, carbohydrates, and at the same time - high digestibility of the prepared product, maximum preservation of all nutrients and minerals. The main argument against it is the very inexpressive taste. But nothing prevents you from combining several cooking methods in one dish. For example, serve steamed fish with quickly fried vegetables or even a puff pastry with vegetables. And for steamed meat - some kind of delicate sauce. By the way, you can also steam it - many classic sauces are prepared this way, completely unable to tolerate direct contact with fire. Another argument in favor of steam.

Absolutely stunning results can be achieved by combining two techniques - vacuum and steam cooking. The product is properly seasoned (“properly” in this case means that all seasonings and spices are added at once, including sauces and evaporated wine), placed in a sealed bag, vacuum-sealed and placed in a double boiler. Cooking occurs only due to the internal juices of the product and absolutely dry heat, practically the product cooks itself.

Many people know about the dangers of fried foods. But at the same time, no one is in a hurry to give up cutlets, chops, fried potatoes and other not very healthy, but at the same time very tasty dishes. However, it is quite possible to find an alternative to such food. And sometimes it is simply necessary to do this, because with many health disorders, fried foods are strictly prohibited. A good substitute for fried foods are those that are steamed. Let me tell you how to cook steamed cutlets in a slow cooker and without a steamer, in a frying pan?

How to cook steamed cutlets in a slow cooker?

To prepare simple, tasty and very healthy cutlets, you need to stock up on half a kilogram of minced meat (from a mixture of pork and beef), a quarter of a white loaf, half a glass of milk, one egg, one medium onion and some salt and pepper. You can also use herbs (parsley or dill) if desired.

First of all, prepare the minced meat. Cut a piece of loaf and fill it with milk. Crumble smaller onion(or grind it in a blender). Combine minced meat with egg and onion in a deep container. Mix well. Remove the soggy loaf from the milk, squeeze out excess liquid from it and add it to the mince. Mix until smooth with your hands. Add salt and pepper to the minced meat and mix again. Form into cutlets. Grease a steamed baking dish sunflower oil and place the cutlets in it. Pour water into the multicooker bowl, place the steamer pan and close the lid. Activate the “steam” mode and set the time to twenty minutes. After ten minutes, you can easily turn the cutlets over to the other side, but this is not necessary.

Steamed beef cutlets with cheese in a slow cooker

To prepare this delicious dish you need to prepare half a kilogram of homemade ground beef, one large onion, a couple of eggs and a tablespoon of butter. Also use ten grams of fresh herbs, one hundred grams of hard cheese and some ground black pepper, oregano and salt (to taste).

It is better to prepare the minced meat for such cutlets yourself - from young beef. Turn it in a meat grinder, add finely chopped onion, egg and spices. Knead the minced meat by hand until smooth and leave for five minutes to rest.
Grind hard cheese on a grater.
Add softened butter to the prepared minced meat and mix again.
Form a ball from the minced meat, press it with your finger and fold it into the recess a little grated cheese. Fold the edges of the minced meat and form a cutlet of the desired shape.
Place the cutlets in a steamer container, greasing it with a small amount of vegetable oil. Fill the bowl with water and activate the “steam” mode. Cook the cutlets for twenty minutes.

How to steam cutlets in a frying pan?

If you don’t have a steamer or multicooker on hand, steamed cutlets can be cooked in a frying pan. To do this, you need to prepare one poultry breast, five slices of white loaf, one carrot, a couple of onions and a couple of garlic. Also use one egg, a couple of tablespoons of sifted flour, some salt and spices, depending on your taste preferences.

Remove fat and skin from the breast, rinse the meat and cut into arbitrary pieces. Cut the onion into quarters and peel the garlic. Also chop the carrots randomly. Pass the prepared ingredients through a meat grinder. Pour boiling milk or boiling water over the loaf crumb, then mash with a fork. Stir this bread into the minced meat. Add flour, egg and spices to the mixture, then stir until smooth.

Form the minced meat into patties. Place them on a hot greased frying pan. vegetable oil, and pour a glass hot water. Cover the pan with a lid and leave it on low heat until the cutlets are cooked.

Steam cutlets in a frying pan

To prepare such a delicious dish, you need to prepare three hundred grams of veal or lean beef, the yolk of one egg, a medium onion, and boiled carrots. Also use a tablespoon of thick sour cream, a few green onions, seasonings and salt depending on your taste preferences.

Turn the minced meat through a meat grinder. Grate the onion or chop it in a blender, add it to the minced meat. Grate the boiled carrots or cut them into small cubes. Also chop the green onions. Add these ingredients to the minced meat. Add the yolk and a spoonful of thick sour cream there. Season and salt the minced meat and mix it thoroughly until smooth. Place the resulting mixture in the refrigerator, covering with cling film, for about half an hour.

Form cutlets from the prepared minced meat by wetting your hands. cold water. Place them in a heated frying pan, greased with vegetable oil, and pour boiling water over them. Cover the container with a lid and cook the cutlets until done.

How to cook steamed cutlets without a steamer? How else to replace the steamer?

Instead of a double boiler, you can use an ordinary saucepan of sufficient diameter - just cover it with gauze folded in several layers. Securely secure its ends, for example, with an elastic band, and hide them inside the pan. Of course, before doing this you need to pour water into the pan. Bring the water to a boil, then place the cutlets on cheesecloth and cover with a lid or basin. This way you can cook cutlets, vegetables, and other steamed dishes.