Can I just put rice in steamer and simmer over a pan of water? I don't have a stand to use for the wok.
HOpe someone can help and advise the correct use.
cheers
kate

Do you mean the round Chinese bamboo steamers? Or the woven, basket
style rice steamer (Vietnamese)?

I think you would need some sort of cloth (like cheesecloth) to prevent
the rice grains from falling through the bottom of the bamboo steamer.
If the pan isn't wider than the bamboo steamer then I don't know if all
the rice is going to get steam. You would probably need to watch the
water level in the pan constantly to make sure all the water doesn't
boil off.

Do you need to use the steamer? Rice can be cooked in a pot.
Found this using google:
http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/pages/c00009.asp

-FM

forrestmouth wrote:
> Do you need to use the steamer? Rice can be cooked in a pot.

actually, I don't know if raw rice grains can be cooked by steaming
alone. "Steamed rice" served in restaurents is a misnomer, it's almost
always cooked in a rice cooker, which means simmering in water.

"Tippi" > wrote:
> forrestmouth wrote:
> > Do you need to use the steamer? Rice can be cooked in a pot.
>
> actually, I don't know if raw rice grains can be cooked by steaming
> alone. "Steamed rice" served in restaurents is a misnomer, it's almost
> always cooked in a rice cooker, which means simmering in water.

Thai Cao Neow (Glutinous or Sweet Rice) is steamed OVER boiling water, not
in it.

Used as the main rice in Laos and the northern and northeastern provinces,
it's mostly used in desserts throughout the rest of the country.

Glutinous Rice can be found in most Asian markets. If not, Italian Arborio
or other short-grained rice should do fine.

Soak the rice for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight, uncovered, in
enough room temperature water to completely cover it. Drain through a fine
strainer or cloth covered colander.

Put the rice in a covered steamer and cook it over, not in, boiling water
for about 25 minutes, "until it smells like cooked sweet rice." It should
be soft and sticky when done.

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled War on Terror Veterans and
their families:
http://saluteheroes.org/ & http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !

"kate36" > wrote in message
...
>
> Can I just put rice in steamer and simmer over a pan of water? I don't
> have a stand to use for the wok.
> HOpe someone can help and advise the correct use.
> cheers
> kate
>
>

Such things are not generally used for rice but for dumplings, meatballs,
prawns and other cut up foods. You can of course use them for steaming
vegetables although this is not traditional AFAIK.

Rice is usually done in a pot with a tight lid or a rice cooker, the
technique can be found easily by googling.

If using the steamer for any kind of dim sum or noodle, anything with rice
or wheat pastry on the outside, remember that when they get damp and warm
they will get sticky. If you don't oil the bamboo steamer and/or use a
little metal slide in the bottom such things will cook fine but you will
never get them out whole.

David

Japanese use square, wooden steamers to steam glutinous rice used in
the making of mochi.

Rice used in the sake brewing process is also steamed and not boiled.
<http://www.sake-world.com/html/brewing-process.html>

Nappa or lettuce leaves are good to use under steamed items to prevent
them from sticking to the steamer.

-FM

> wrote in message
...
> "Tippi" > wrote:
> > forrestmouth wrote:
> > > Do you need to use the steamer? Rice can be cooked in a pot.
> >
> > actually, I don't know if raw rice grains can be cooked by steaming
> > alone. "Steamed rice" served in restaurents is a misnomer, it's almost
> > always cooked in a rice cooker, which means simmering in water.
>
> Thai Cao Neow (Glutinous or Sweet Rice) is steamed OVER boiling water, not
> in it.
>
> Used as the main rice in Laos and the northern and northeastern provinces,
> it's mostly used in desserts throughout the rest of the country.
>
> Glutinous Rice can be found in most Asian markets. If not, Italian Arborio
> or other short-grained rice should do fine.
>
> Soak the rice for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight, uncovered,
in
> enough room temperature water to completely cover it. Drain through a fine
> strainer or cloth covered colander.
>
> Put the rice in a covered steamer and cook it over, not in, boiling water
> for about 25 minutes, "until it smells like cooked sweet rice." It should
> be soft and sticky when done.
>
> --
> Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled War on Terror Veterans and
> their families:
> http://saluteheroes.org/ & http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
>
> Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! !
!

Nick
Would this be the Sticky Rice that I get hot made to order (so I have to
wait-which is worth it) when I get Larb at my favorite Lao restaurant?
Peace
John

"John Droge" > wrote:
> > wrote in message
> []
> > Thai Cao Neow (Glutinous or Sweet Rice) is steamed OVER boiling water,
> > not in it.
> >
> > Used as the main rice in Laos and the northern and northeastern
> > provinces, it's mostly used in desserts throughout the rest of the
> > country.
> >[]
> Nick
> Would this be the Sticky Rice that I get hot made to order (so I have to
> wait-which is worth it) when I get Larb at my favorite Lao restaurant?
> Peace
>
I suspect so, John. That's how my wife used to do it when she had her
restaurant. It's also called Cao Lao in Thailand.

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled War on Terror Veterans and
their families:
http://saluteheroes.org/ & http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !

"forrestmouth" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Japanese use square, wooden steamers to steam glutinous rice used in
> the making of mochi.
>

I believe you - but this is not a common usage. I thought that since the OP
didn't know what it was for that sticking to basic use might be best for
now.

> Rice used in the sake brewing process is also steamed and not boiled.
> <http://www.sake-world.com/html/brewing-process.html>
>

I can see thousands of those little steamers lined up on the production line
:-)

> Nappa or lettuce leaves are good to use under steamed items to prevent
> them from sticking to the steamer.
>

Good tip! I gather that nappa is a kind of cabbage ..... ah here we go
{googling}, it's called wong buk around here. I suppose any kind of
brassica leaf would do.

David

"David Hare-Scott" > wrote in message
...
>
> "kate36" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> Can I just put rice in steamer and simmer over a pan of water? I don't
>> have a stand to use for the wok.
>> HOpe someone can help and advise the correct use.
>> cheers
>> kate


Yes, you can. Put the rice in a bowl with the appropriate amount of water,
and put that in the steamer (With a new bag of new crop Thai jasmine rice, I
use a 1:1 ratio of rice to water). You can use a can with the lids of both
ends removed as a stand, though super cheap metal trivets or wooden bases
made for steaming are easily available in Chinatowns.


> Such things are not generally used for rice but for dumplings, meatballs,
> prawns and other cut up foods.


Yeah, but you can place a large plate in bamboo steamers to cook various
things. Don't remember what dish it was that I used that technique. I do
often reheat food by placing a plate in the bamboo steamer.


You can of course use them for steaming
> vegetables although this is not traditional AFAIK.


Yes, not traditional to steam veggies; though steaming does take place when
one stir-fries vegetables, at least with my home-grade stoves. I throw the
veggies into the hot oil in the wok and an immense noise ensues. I stir
things up a bit, and just when the veggies cling nicely with oil, I add some
water and cover the wok. After a bit of such high powered steaming, I
remove the lid and return to stir-frying.

Peter

Thanks all for your very helpful replies and sorry I didn't post back sooner. I've now bought a rice cooker! [after failing miserably with the bamboo steamer]
Thanks anyway, it's a very good forum!!

cheers
kate

[quote=kate36]Thanks all for your very helpful replies and sorry I didn't post back sooner. I've now bought a rice cooker! [after failing miserably with the bamboo steamer]
Thanks anyway, it's a very good forum!!




I used my Tefal 3 in 1 tonight on rice cooker function and it turned out really well.