I want to buy a bamboo steamer as a birthday present for my daughter who has talked about buying one but I notice she still doesn't have one.I don't know anything about them and are wondering if any of you own one could you please recommend one for me? Thanks.

Do you have a Chinese food market handy? That is where you will find the best range of bamboo steamers, and they will be very cheap. The size depends on what she wants to cook in them, and I would go for a big one that she can sit over a wok of water. If she wants to make individual dim sum servings then she will need small steamers.

Thank you TPANDAV.We don't have a Chinese food market in this area and she talked about Bao buns and dumplings I think.We are amateurs in the kitchen but lately she has been trying and enjoying Marion Grasby recipes.I bought her a wok a few years ago but it is a Briscoes one and she does use it often.Sorry by that I mean it is not a genuine item.When I look on line at steamers they seem to be 20cm her wok is 30cm.I am now thinking perhaps I can buy pot that the steamer I buy fits or another wok that fits a steamer.I don't really know what size pots she has but she doesn't have many.I have a few more weeks to work this out but I hope she doesn't buy herself one in the mean time.

Marylew, that steamer size sounds perfect. You can use any size steamer on a wok, as long as it's smaller than the wok. It sits on a rack in the wok. You can buy a rack (her Briscoes one might have come with it) or make one of four chopsticks. A bamboo steamer that is bigger than the wok/pot gets the direct heat from the element/gas and can catch fire and burn (I've seen it happen).

Here's a link to Serious Eats' info about steaming in a wok: [www.seriouseats.com]

Thank you DK now I understand how it works.Much appreciated.

I've made bao buns a couple of times in my ordinary metal steamer pot (glass lid) using kitchen paper and towels wrapped around the lid (pretty much as per [www.youtube.com] How to Steam Without a Bamboo Steamer!) which works okay. I use Andrea Nguyen's recipe [www.allrecipes.com] Has anyone tried steaming bao buns in the oven? For example, on a rack over water in a large roasting pan with lid? I'm going to try it later this week but not looking forward to a total failure.... so if anyone's already done it..... ?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2020 02:45AM by J1.

The bao buns (Chinese Steamed Buns) worked okay steaming in the oven but they did need longer than the 8 minutes I cook them for in the stovetop steamer. I checked them at 8 minutes and they looked far from done so I did 20 minutes but this was too long. They slightly coloured on the tops and the tops started to dry off a bit so possibly something like 13 minutes might have been ideal (200°C oven). However, I wouldn't do them this way again as stovetop steamer with towels wrapped around lid, etc, gives a result I'm more pleased with and, of course, it's not worth heating up the oven for unless you're using it for something else at the same time. I'd definitely just buy some bamboo steamers if I ate this type of food more than once or twice a year....

it was fun experimenting. I like trying new things. Just need someone to eat it......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2020 11:00PM by J1.

J1 I have a friend who swears by microwave method for bao buns.
I have a few bamboo steamers of varying sizes so haven't had to think of alternative methods.

Oh, I hadn't thought of microwave...I don't have one though... but it would be fun to try cooking them in one.....