Steamers

cookessentials, Sep 8, 9:26pm
I am lucky enough to also havesaucepans with steamer inserts. i only ever steam my vege, including potatoes...just personal choice for me.
rai5, Sep 7, 4:15am
Who uses one and what brand? What are the pros and cons of them? What does the food taste after they have been steamed? And anything else you think I should know about them. Thanks.
samsnan, Sep 7, 4:30am
Not sure what you mean by what brand. To me a steamer is a steamer any one that will fit over your saucepans. Mine will fit over 3 of saucepans. Always do cabbage,cauli or broccolli in mine. Have never noticed any bad taste in anything. Also a good way to save power by only using the one element for 2 or 3 veges.
cookessentials, Sep 7, 4:53am
Bamboo
rai5, Sep 7, 4:54am
Sorry I should have been more specific. Like George Foreman. The htree tiered ones.
samsnan, Sep 7, 4:58am
Ok I also have one of the George Foreman steamers. Very good it is the only pain I have with it is when you steam your potatoes. You have to tip them into something else if you want to mash them.
cookessentials, Sep 7, 5:01am
Had a brand new George Forman - never usd it as it was such a fiddle to set up - sold it on trademe along with the grill which was also brand new.
buzzy110, Sep 7, 5:03am
I steam my vegetables always and I think that their flavour is more intense - e.g. carrots are sweeter, they have a much more vibrant colour and I can control their finished appearance (eye appeal is vitally important in any meal). I hate the thought of all the goodness being tipped down the drain in the cooking water.

I have special pots that cook hotter and so I can steam potatoes as well but if you are using a regular pot and steamer, I'm not sure you can steam potatoes or sweet potatoes.

In your supermarket you should be able to find a leaved device that opens out into a round thingee that you put inside your pot, with holes in the leaves. They make perfectly good steamers if you haven't got a steaming pot.
fifie, Sep 7, 6:05am
Have a electric 4 tier steamer i got when i developed heart disease and went off salt in cooking. Use it a lot the veg flavour is better and so is the colour. It makes nice scrambled eggs in the rice cooker, for me it works fine.Some say its cooking is bland flavour things like rice, fish, and eggs and its fine..
melford, Sep 8, 6:52am
I loooove my electric steamer (George Foreman?) - haven't used saucepans since. No salt needed! All the viatmins are retained and not lost in cooking water. Esy to rinse and keep clean. Cut vegies same size, turn on and walk away and leave it. Brilliant machine. When it has finished cooking it just switches itself to "keep warm" so the vegies don't spoil until you are ready for them
lynja, Mar 7, 10:08am
interesting to hear if others use one, i was given one recently but have used it only once. to be honest part of the problem with all these things is finding room to store them!