More and more of us are affected by unhealthy and fatty foods. We gain weight or have problems with digestion. Fortunately, we don't have to give up our favorite foods if we start using steam cooking in our kitchen.
Steam cooking has been known to mankind for thousands of years, as well as its benefits. In this era of proliferating diets, it is a great alternative to lose weight and eat healthy without changing the menu. Steaming has virtually no disadvantages, but it has many advantages. Dishes prepared this way are easy to digest and retain vitamins and nutrients that are not washed out by water or killed by high temperature. In addition, we limit the consumption of fat, because we do not use it as in frying, and the fat contained in the meat is melted. Thanks to this, dishes prepared in steamers help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The "cooking" of the meal itself is easy and very efficient, because modern steam cookers are multi-level, so the whole dinner can cook at the same time. And above all, it is difficult to burn something.
There are several ways of steaming. The simplest is to use a steamer, which usually has automatic programs adapted to different types of products. So we don't have to worry about the time or degree of preparation of ingredients - the system will do it for us. Another way is to buy a special pot for steaming, which has two levels - it is smaller than a steamer and requires the use of a gas cooker. Another option is to buy a special strainer that is inserted into the bottom of the pot with boiling water. The coolest thing about the steam method is that you can cook just about anything! Vegetables, including those that are difficult to cook al dente, such as broccoli, cauliflower or carrots, are very easy to steam. Rice is also great because it doesn't stick together and is easier to put on. You can also prepare chicken, veal, fish or seafood, and even eggs - preferably soft-boiled).
The most important rules of steaming
If you decide to steam something, know a few rules to do it right. Steamed ingredients retain more flavour than boiled ones, so try to add salt only after you've put them on the plate. Alternatively, use plenty of herbs - herbes de Provence works well, especially for fish. If you're using a gas cooker, turn the tap down when the water boils so it only bubbles a little - it's all about generating steam. Some foods require a longer steam bath (e.g. meats), so try to place them on the lowest level of the cooker. As we mentioned, fish can be prepared quickly and efficiently using this technique. However, if you are using frozen products, you should defrost them beforehand (in order not to accumulate excess water). Are you afraid of having to ventilate the kitchen when preparing fish? Wrap the meat in aluminium foil - it will stop any unpleasant smells.
Steaming food is really a great alternative for people who want to avoid fat. There's another method that can work well - using a grill pan. It requires, like other kitchen props, proper handling and above all patience. It will thank you for it with delicious and light dishes. So how should you handle it? Exactly - with patience. A barbecue pan requires, first of all, heating (in general, this is probably a feature of any barbecue), and at the very beginning "getting used to". This means that it will ideally begin to work when it has already had a few months of seniority (and you too:)). That's why it's best to start with simple dishes. Minced meat in ready-made forms or chopped or slices of chicken with egg will be perfect. Vegetables are also great on a grill pan, but they also require time to get the best flavour. If you want to use this appliance for a long time, also know that you shouldn't use honey-based marinades or anything with sugar on it (especially at the beginning of use). It just sometimes gets hard to remove from fresh coatings. We can grill some things, like vegetables, on a dry pan, but it's recommended that you grease it with a minimal layer of olive oil each time.
Importantly, as with steaming, different foods require different heating times. Even different meats will require a completely different approach. While we will grill chicken fairly quickly, thick steaks will require patience and more frequent repositioning. If you don't already have such cooking appliances at home, you can get them at reasonable prices even at the supermarket. If you prefer to bet on quality, choose one of the well-known brands on the market. Tefal, for example, produces steam cookers, as well as grill pans and induction cookers. The latter are starting to conquer the market and are slowly replacing traditional cooking methods. The full range of products can be found here: http://www.tefal.pl/Garnki-i-Patelnie/Patelnie-i-garnki/c/pots%2B%26%2Bpans
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