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Every now and then to let off a little steam in hot kitchen situations is not a bad idea. I do not mean grandma's steam pot from the 1970s. From this, the food usually came as the porridge on the plate, which indiscriminately stigmatized the unpressurized steam cooking as an incarnation of fad hospital food for decades. These "turbos" are rightfully located on the special waste bin of long gone culinary hardware errors.
As a flavor and nutrient-sparing cooking strategy, however, steaming has been experiencing a third spring recently. Used with some brain, so extremely delicious food comes from the hobby kitchen. This can cost as a smart Dampfgar Konvektomat but a few thousand. But it does not have to - the simple steaming insert for unfolding is already there for a fifteen-euro bill.
Panasonic NN-CS894SEPG
As an avid outfitter, I have heard many an excuse why the food lasts so long. Once the cook allegedly cut his thumb, then again an excavator in the street in front of the restaurant ripped out the main water pipe - or the stove broke down, so you have to fry the steaks at the neighbors in the garden on the grill. No problem. But when in a gastro-kitchen the combi-steamer gives up its spirit, the innkeeper immediately closes the shop.
In fact, no other technology besides sous vide and induction has changed the way the professional kitchens in the world work as well as the large, software-controlled combi steamers ("convection machines"). They not only made normal ovens obsolete, but also provided unprecedented precision in temperature control when preparing large pieces of meat using integrated probes and variable heating methods. These boxes need fixed water connection and three-phase current, are in smaller versions with prices from 3000 euros but not much more expensive than the fitted kitchen combi steamer Miele & Co.
In my hobby kitchen was for my daily steam bread for many years a funnily ugly, but totally robust device in operation, which I had purchased cheap on eBay - a super-efficient as efficient steam oven with inserts according to Gastro-Norm ("GN"), someday for the catering chain "Apetito". One day, I was surprised that the steam rising from the back of the box somehow smelled chemically. Well, within seconds, the "steam" became black smoke, impressively backlit by flaring flames. Jump to the power cord, blanket on it - and off to the electronics store.
The idea of getting back a steamman for one or two green bills immediately got a damper: for the money, there is at most a wobbly Stapelgarer with plexiglass attachments, which become blind and brittle after three dishwashers. Or fat plumbing for 2500 euros. Fortunately, I remembered a buddy from my intensive cooking club, who had once shown me his chic, medium-sized Panasonic multi-talented stove. I quickly adopted the box - he listens on the fond name NN-CS894SEPG - as my firm second kitchen tube. With large cooking space (32 liters), modern inverter micro, grill, hot air (unfortunately only up to 230 degrees Celsius), sophisticated steaming programs - and the smart way to combine several types of heating or run sequentially. A real jackpot so.
What's this? A medium sized, not too expensive multi-function oven with very good steaming function.
Who needs it? Anyone who not only wants to steam semi-professionally but also often misses a second oven to bake at other temperatures at the same time.
What does this cost? About 550 euros, the little brother (NN-DS596MEPG) is just under 200 euros cheaper.
Price query time:
13.09.2019, 13:30 clock
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Panasonic NN-CS894SEPG / Steamer, Inverter, Grill and Oven / 4in1 Microwave / 1000 Watt / 32 L / Recessed / Black Stainless Steel
Manufacturer:
Panasonic Germany
Price:
EUR 545.00
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Reishunger bamboo damper
Cooking in the rising steam is basically an ancient kitchen hat: Even in China's Han dynasty, two thousand years ago, the chefs steamed their then highly popular filled dumplings in stacked bamboo sieves, which stood on boiling water. Bamboo dampers are the oldest, still the most widely used and still most efficient method of pressureless steam cooking. They consist of two high-edged bamboo sieves, which can be put together to steam several different components at the same time - for example vegetables or fish at the top and rice in the bottom basket. But before that water necessarily five minutes standing, otherwise he is not even in a thousand years.
From time to time, when I cook an Asian dish, the Elektrodampfgarer remains untouched. Because my bamboo forklift brings - whatever he does - a very own authenticity in this food. The system works best if you put it on an equal size pot (in my case 25 centimeters in diameter). Then the bamboo is not in the water or burns, if you are not careful, after its evaporation on the ground.
To prevent the rice or heavily shredded ingredients from falling out of the sieve, the bamboo steamer is usually supplied with cotton cloths to put it in, but they are not very good and are only partially reusable. Instead, I got myself a matching round mat made of non-stick silicone. The may after cooking in the dishwasher. In contrast to the bamboo - it has to be cleaned by hand under running water with a corrosive tedious ritual.
My Japanese is pretty bad, but I think it's similar to kadampfi-kawashi.
What's this? The oldest and most efficient device to cook food in steam gently.
Who needs it? These parts come in handy when cooking is often Asian. Otherwise, it also does the hinged steamer insert (see below).
What does this cost? Usable quality that lasts a few years, there are from about 25 euros. The five-pack silicone mats for less than a tenth.
Price query time:
13.09.2019, 13:36 clock
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Reishunger bamboo damper (Ø 25 cm, 2 floors) for rice, dim sum, vegetables, fish and meat, incl. 2 cotton towels, for 4 persons
Manufacturer:
rice hunger
Price:
EUR 19.99
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Product information is purely editorial and independent. The so-called affiliate links above, we usually receive a commission from the dealer when buying. More information here.
Licok steaming insert
Many years ago, after eating a stomach, I should not eat anything fried for a while. Bad enough, I thought to myself, then I do not want to spend much money for it. The umbrella-like adjustable stainless steel saucepan steamer insert from the department store kitchen department at Horten for just under ten marks (that must be really long ago) actually made me then still good service, as the sausage long ago had no barbecue ban.
Steaming, I was surprisingly able to learn, is a wonderfully gentle method of cooking for vegetables with lower liquid content such as Romanesco, cauliflower, pak choi, broccoli, as well as asparagus, peppers, or artichokes. Potatoes retain their strength in steam - perfect for puree. Delicate fish (trout, char, salmon) become juicy in the steam. Likewise tender meat such as fillet, rabbit or turkey breast fillets. Great trick by the way: The food can also be flavored by the steam, for example by simmering a strong broth with herbs underneath. Even the capsaicin hellish-hot chili is transmitted evenly and not too much to the ingredients by the rising haze.
And - you know that from gas station snacks - the Wiener sausages do not burst while keeping warm.
What's this? The cheapest way to make a good start as a beginner.
Who needs it? Actually every hobby kitchen, because the part is absolutely flexible and super fast usable.
What does this cost? From 5 euros, but the Licok (14 euros) does not rust and has practical feet and a handle made of silicone for safe lifting of the hot part.
Price query time:
13.09.2019, 13:38 clock
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Stainless steel steamer insert for baby food suitable by Koala Kitchen - Foldable steaming insert for cooking pots - potato steamer, vegetable steamer, steamer insert
Manufacturer:
Koala Kitchen
Price:
EUR 19,90
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Product information is purely editorial and independent. The so-called affiliate links above, we usually receive a commission from the dealer when buying. More information here.
