Kleenmaid SOE102X - Manual (Page 17)

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Steam cooking is not a recent invention, In Asian and particularly Chinese cooking,
delicate steam cooking has been practised for a long time. One of the advantages of
this type of cooking is that the foodstuffs do not remain in contact with the cooking
juices. Consequently, the vitamins and minerals are particularly well preserved, but
also the delicious taste of the food. The principle of steam cooking is simple: by
heating it up, water is transformed into steam and transmits its heat to the food
located in the cooking dish. Because the food is not placed directly in boiling water,
less is taken out of it. In other words, the loss of mineral elements and vitamins is
minimised. Consequently the taste of the food is also better preserved than with any
other cooking method. As a result, seasoning with salt can be considerably reduced.
Additionally, steam cooking does not require the use of fats. This therefore makes it
the ideal cooking method for those looking to enjoy healthy cookery. Even if steam
cooking is an extremely delicate method, the technique is the same as for other
cooking methods. The food must be prepared (especially vegetables) and then
washed, and finally cut into pieces just before steam cooking.
Steam cooking tips
Water is a liquid, well adapted to steam cooking. Fatty liquids such as stock or
sauces will stick and cling to the inside of the oven. Sauces can be
subsequently prepared using the cooking juices, and the dish can then be sprinkled
with 2-3 tablespoons of white wine etc. All foods can be slightly seasoned before
steam cooking. It is not necessary to use a great deal of salt as the taste of the food
already comes to the fore during steam cooking. Fresh herbs, finely chopped
vegetables or marinades can also be used to spice up dishes. Leftover rice, pasta,
potatoes and vegetables can be gently reheated using steam. Dishes covered with
sauces or stock can be given a new lease of life! The heating time is between 10 and
20 minutes according to the dishes. You can also use the steaming method to gently
defrost certain frozen products. Frozen vegetables, fish or meat can be defrosted
directly by steam. Place the ingredients as flat as possible on the cooking dish.
Cooking tips
Caution! Take care when opening the appliance during the steam cooking
process. The steam given off is hot and can burn you!
Cooking fish using steam
During steam cooking, fish remains juicy and firm, with the tastes and characteristics
of the various types of fish being particularly well conserved. Fillets and whole fish
are well suited to this cooking method. The cooking times using steam are very
short. The fish is cooked when the skin is no longer shiny and it can be cut using a
fork. Before use, you should slightly coat the inside of the cooking dish with butter
or oil to ensure that the tender skin of the fish does not stick. Fish is particularly
aromatic when the cooking dish is covered with a layer of fresh herbs (for example
sprigs of thyme or dill), finely chopped aromatic vegetables or condiments such as
finely chopped onions, garlic, sliced ginger or slices of lemon, etc. Additionally, we
S team cooking
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