The Science of Steaming

 When steaming, food is actually cooked at a higher temperature

compared to poaching, braising, and stewing.
 Once water is heated past the 212 F mark, it stops being water
and turns into steam.
 Steaming has an advantage over methods such as boiling or even
simmering in that there is no agitation involved, so it's gentler on
delicate items like seafood.
 And because it doesn't require the food to be submerged, it
avoids the loss of nutrients through leaching.
 It also cooks relatively quickly.

Interestingly, steam's maximum temperature is also 212 F, just like

water. But unlike water, steam can be forced to exceed this natural
temperature limit by pressurizing it. The higher the pressure, the
hotter the steam becomes. Cooking with pressurized steam requires
specialized equipment, though, which is typically not available to the
beginner cook.

Cooking With Steam

 Steaming can be done on a stovetop with two simple pieces of
equipment: a pot and a steamer basket.
 The pot is filled with a small amount of liquid that is brought to a
simmer; the item to be cooked is placed in a basket suspended
above the liquid, and the pot is then covered.
 The hot steam circulates through the pot and cooks the food very
quickly.
 This technique is known as "compartment steaming." (The
bamboo steamers used in Asian cuisine are an example of a
compartment steamer.)
It is important that the bottom of the steamer basket does not touch
the simmering water; this would add too much moisture to the
vegetables and would not steam them correctly.

You can also steam food in the microwave, which is actually a natural
piece of equipment for steaming since it "excites the liquids in food."
You can create your own steaming system by placing the food in a
microwave-safe dish, sprinkling it with water or other liquid, and
covering it with plastic wrap with a few holes poked into it. Cook for
just a few minutes and you will be rewarded with perfectly steamed
food. You can also buy a steamer basket made just for the microwave if
you find yourself using this method often.

Steaming Vegetables
 Until oven-roasting and grilling, vegetables came into fashion,
steaming was the primary way home cooks prepared their veggie
side dishes.
 Too often, however, the vegetables were left as is after cooking,
leaving them bland and flavorless.
 Or, worse, the vegetables were steamed for too long, resulting in
a pile of tasteless, dark-colored mush.
 But vegetables—including potatoes—benefit from being cooked
with steam when done properly.
 Some vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower can turn soggy
when simmered, so steaming is an excellent alternative cooking
method.
 And steaming can be a good first step to cooking certain
vegetables an alternative way; for example, steaming broccoli
before adding to a quick-cooking stir-fry will assure they finish
with a crisp-tender texture.
 And steaming potatoes before being sliced and placed on the grill
will shorten their grilling time tremendously.
Steaming Fish and Shellfish
 Seafood is particularly well suited for steaming. With compartment
steaming, the cooking liquid (usually a broth, stock, or wine to
add flavor) along with aromatic herbs, are gently simmered,
creating flavorful steam.
 The moist environment inside the steamer compartment helps
keep the fish tender and juicy.

 Seafood can also be steamed in its own juices.

 Mussels are frequently cooked in a large, covered pot with a very
small amount of wine.
 As the pot heats up, the mussels cook in the steam created from
their own juices, which then combines with the wine and other
ingredients to create a flavorful sauce.

Health Benefits of Steaming

 Besides being a simple cooking method, steaming is also a
healthy way to prepare food.
 Compared to most other cooking methods, steaming preserves up
to 50 percent more nutrients in the foods, and doesn't require any
fats when cooking.
 This makes steaming an ideal cooking technique when you are
watching your calorie and fat intake.
 Just don't forget to season!

Tools for steaming

  A food steamer or steam cooker is a small kitchen appliance used
to cook or prepare various foods with steam heat by means of
holding the food in a closed vessel reducing steam escape
 This manner of cooking is called steaming.

Stainless Steel Steamer

 Stain Steel Steamers are used to cook vegetables, seafood, and

other foods where moisture retention is essential to appearance
and taste.
  Steam cooks food much faster than hot air, improving productivity.
 Steaming also reduces shrinkage, increasing profits.

Instant Pot Steamer Basket

 The instant Pot steamer basket is designed to be reminiscent of a

traditional bamboo steamer. Stackable – two steamer baskets can
fit on the steam rack in the 5, 6, or 8 Quart cookers.
 From vegetables to meat to poultry, rice, seafood, fruits, and
pasta, you can steam almost every type of food.

Universal Steamer with Lid

  Universal Stainless Steamer 30cm.
 Suitable for catering events Multi-purpose tier-based steamer
Can also be used for roasting meat, poultry Ideal for steaming ...

Microwave Steamer

 MICROWAVE STEAMER Steaming vegetables in your microwave is

quick and easy, and it helps keep the vitamins and minerals in the
food.
 MICROWAVE STEAMER. Steaming vegetables in your microwave are
quick and easy, and it helps keep the vitamins and minerals in the
vegetables.
Bamboo Steamer Basket

 The most famous kind of bamboo steamers is used in Chinese

cuisine and dates back to 5,000 years in Southern China.
 They are produced by removing the skin from the bamboo,
soaking it in water, shaping it into a circle, and hammering it in
with nails.
 The base is made up of woven bamboo strips, and production can
take anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours depending on its
size.
 Bamboo steamers have become prominent to the Western world
for their role in cooking and serving dim sum, particularly during
the practice of yum cha.
 They are designed to be stacked on top of each other so that the
steam can cook many different servings simultaneously, as well as
fit on the table (often on a Lazy Susan) while being served.
 In recent years, alternatives to the traditional bamboo material
have been developed, including silicone.

Instant Pot
  Instant Pot is a multicooker.
 The multicookers are electronically controlled, combined pressure
cookers and slow cookers.
 The original cookers are marketed as 6-in-1 or more appliances
designed to consolidate the cooking and preparing of food to one
device.
 The brand has since expanded to include non-pressure slow
cookers, sous-vide immersion circulators, blenders, air fryers, and
rice cookers.

References:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/steaming-moist-heat-cooking-
method-995849

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_steamer

https://www.appropedia.org/Food_Drying_with_Superheated_Steam