Bamboo steamers

[heidih]

1 hour ago, liuzhou said:

 

They are unhygienic and cost inefficient given their short lifespan. They were never seen as iconic in China. That is a western cliche.

So what is the common steaming vessel - if there is a standard one?  

Edited September 11, 2022 by heidih (log)

[Katie Meadow]

I've had a bamboo steamer for about twenty years. I used it once! So not exactly a brilliant purchase. When we were in Asheville NC there were a couple of good restaurants within walking distance that served soup dumplings in the top basket. Enough room for 6 dumplings. Soup dumplings don't seem to be as common here in the Bay Area. Since we both had colds and were in an airbnb that wasn't well stocked, those two restaurants were life-savers. 

 

 

[liuzhou]

3 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

I've had a bamboo steamer for about twenty years. I used it once! So not exactly a brilliant purchase. When we were in Asheville NC there were a couple of good restaurants within walking distance that served soup dumplings in the top basket. Enough room for 6 dumplings. Soup dumplings don't seem to be as common here in the Bay Area. Since we both had colds and were in an airbnb that wasn't well stocked, those two restaurants were life-savers. 

 

 

 

Serving soup dumplings is the situation I mostly see them in, but less and less often. Note "serving". They may  not be steamed  in bamboo baskets but just tranferred for serving.

 

As I stressed in the China Fod Myths topic, I have never seen a bamboo basket in a domestic kichen in China or a kitchen supply store in China.

[Katie Meadow]

@liuzhouIt wouldn't surprise me if they were served but not steamed in the bamboo basket. They seem pretty delicate, and a leak onto the next-down layer of dumplings would be a mess. Also the bottoms of a couple of dumplings can get sticky and make it a bit tricky to even maneuver them onto a spoon, so there's a good reason right there to steam them in something they might be less likely to stick to.

 

And I hope you are on the mend. This probably sounds totally stupid, but I think I would rather have lousy Chinese hospital food than the lousy American hospital food we get. 

[liuzhou]

Here's the only one I have.

 

 

 

Except they aren't soup dumplings. Or steamed. They are food themed candles!

 

[Duvel]

11 hours ago, liuzhou said:

As I stressed in the China Fod Myths topic, I have never seen a bamboo basket in a domestic kichen in China or a kitchen supply store in China.

I can only report from the two Chinese locations I have lived in, Taiwan and Hong Kong: in both territories, bamboo steamers are used at the night markets and in (traditional) restaurants for cooking. Some steel-reinforced bamboo, some just plain. Take Din Tai Fung for example, where in the open (well, window-encased) kitchen you can see legions of those being stacked, steamed and then being served.

 

 

As a side note: in both locations kitchen supply stores carry then aplenty as well. That’s where I got most of mine, and with a bit of hygiene so far they do pretty well …

Edited September 11, 2022 by Duvel (log)

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, Duvel said:

I can only report from the two Chinese locations I have lived in, Taiwan and Hong Kong:

And I guess @liuzhouis speaking of his experience in mainland China. Perhaps it is a matter of the mainland moving on and the territories clinging to tradition. There are so many examples of this around the world. Diaspora communities cling to tradition while homeland moves on. 

Edited September 11, 2022 by Anna N
To edit wild to while (log)

[liuzhou]

6 minutes ago, Anna N said:

And I guess @liuzhouis speaking of his experience in mainland China. Perhaps it is a matter of the mainland moving on and the territories clinging to tradition. There are so many examples of this around the world. Diaspora communities cling to tradition wild homeland moves on. 

 

Good point.

[Duvel]

24 minutes ago, Anna N said:

And I guess @liuzhouis speaking of his experience in mainland China. Perhaps it is a matter of the mainland moving on and the territories clinging to tradition. There are so many examples of this around the world. Diaspora communities cling to tradition while homeland moves on. 

I think from a „moving on“ perspective, both Taiwan and Hong Kong developed faster than the mainland for the better part of the second half of the last century. But I fully get your point !

Edited September 11, 2022 by Duvel (log)

[Annie_H]

9 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

It wouldn't surprise me if they were served but not steamed in the bamboo basket. They seem pretty delicate, and a leak onto the next-down layer of dumplings would be a mess. Also the bottoms of a couple of dumplings can get sticky and make it a bit tricky to even maneuver them onto a spoon, so there's a good reason right there to steam them in something they might be less likely to stick to.

They are steamer baskets. Designed to steam food in the basket and stacked. Or just one with lid if that is all you need. If something is tossed in a glaze or with a sauce, they are placed in ceramic or metal bowls first. Or parchment circles. Restaurants buy them pre cut. Sometimes salad or cabbage leaves. I sometimes use grape leaves. One of mine came with a metal disk with some holes punched. No leaking if the proper vessel is used inside the steamer basket. 

I just pre-cut my own disks for dumplings. 

And use one for rice dumplings with a metal insert. 

Bamboo is incredibly strong. I use bamboo chopsticks and other bamboo/wood spoons and spatulas and as well as wood and bamboo cutting boards--though bamboo is not great on your knives being so hard. Never considered any of it unsanitary. 

Never have been served in a dry steamer just for presentation.

 

 

[Annie_H]

The top pick is a Michelin star restaurant using the same circular steamer as the street food guy below. The bottom two pics are interesting in a high volume restaurant choosing from many prepared steamers. Note the fridge behind him. Once selections are made your 'stack' is sent over to the big steamer table. Then delivered to your table. 

[liuzhou]

In America?

[Annie_H]

No, China. Though I doubt in your area as pointed out by Duvel. But the bottom pics are Mark Weins travel tours He did do an extensive China tour similar. Many other videos via your preferred search platform. 

I spent about 5-6 years in a LIC/Queens NY location having Friday lunches in a 200+ seating DimSum where only Chinese was spoken. Not a tourist spot. Most NewYorker have no idea it exists. Out Queens Blvd. Free valet parking with a meal receipt. No drama parking. 10 or 12$ per head. (I think it is 15 lunch, 20 dinner now). Not possible to shut down after lunch having massive real estate issues $$$. Very popular lunch but insane celebration meals weekends. Nana b-days, etc. Two story indoor water fall, 500 gallon fish tank, yada. 

1 hour ago, liuzhou said:

In America?

 

I'm not being combative. I just see things differently. I have a very useful kitchen tool I've used for years. It does it's job very well. dumplings/soup dumplings, bottom steamer, greens/bokChoy top steamer in one go at a meal. Three tier, --pork/ginger/garlic/lemon grass bottom. Shrimp Shumi next up, greens on top. Not even much of a dance. 

[Katie Meadow]

I'm thinking I should get out my neglected bamboo steamer and try steaming something and see if I can get at least some of my money's worth out of it. I make dumplings often, but I don't steam them. I make wontons, which are boiled, and pot-stickers, which are also not steamed . But where the hell is my bamboo steamer, anyway?

[Kerala]

I used the aluminium trays for the food.

The bamboo trays were just weight for the inverted lid. For smaller amounts I do use the bamboo trays.

[Vapre]

If one were so inclined, one could turn a steamer into the finest lamp in the ‘verse:

 

 

I don’t have all this guy’s tools (or skills) but maybe one day…

[JoNorvelleWalker]

28 minutes ago, Vapre said:

If one were so inclined, one could turn a steamer into the finest lamp in the ‘verse:

 

 

I don’t have all this guy’s tools (or skills) but maybe one day…

 

Shiny.

 

[Annie_H]

Not sure I approve of the lamp hack. 

Like taking a can of spray paint to an iconic Eames molded fiberglass chair. 

I've enjoyed this fellows content. 手工制作蒸笼(Bamboo Steamer). Similar to Liziqi. But both have not downloaded content for about a year. Liziqi has had some issues with being taken advantage of by some big jerks. Capitalizing on her success. 

He makes his own bamboo steamers as well as many other thing.

 

 

[Annie_H]

This is my go-to for soup dumplings in NYC, Mott street. Easy to argue better ones, but with out of town guests, this is quiet and so enjoyed by elders parents and in-laws-SIL. After the nuts of crowded Canal street, Mott street is oddly quiet. A good custom tea house where she makes you a blend based on your preferences. MIL and SIL are tea drinkers and love that visit. 

I can order selections for them starting with soup dumplings. Shared steamers baskets keep hitting the table. Such a nice way to feed a family. Nothing they ever get back home. 

Sometimes a cabbage base but most often parchment.

[Annie_H]

23 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

I'm thinking I should get out my neglected bamboo steamer and try steaming something and see if I can get at least some of my money's worth out of it. I make dumplings often, but I don't steam them. I make wontons, which are boiled, and pot-stickers, which are also not steamed . But where the hell is my bamboo steamer, anyway?

😂, not uncommon to not know what to do with it. I like at least two or three tiers. A stacked steam is similar to a sheet pan roasted dinner in ease of pulling off a meal. Roast is so good, but steam is oddly clean where a simple potato is 'all-about-the-potato' and not the roast crispness. 

I gravitate 80% to a roasted sheet pan. But taking a stack of steaming veg, small bites, soup dumplings, etc. is satisfying to a gathering that starts standing outside with cocktails. --a stack of steamer baskets. Small bites. Most if not all are from the freezer so an easy first nibble and easy clean-up. Rinse or light scrub with soap but need to sit out for at least 24 hours to fully dry. 

The only bad review are idiots that put them away damp. 

 

[haresfur]

For what it is worth, bamboo steaming baskets are still used for sticky rice in Thailand and Laos.

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, haresfur said:

For what it is worth, bamboo steaming baskets are still used for sticky rice in Thailand and Laos.

But very different. Still bamboo though. 

[liuzhou]

Bamboo tubes are used as cooking vessels throughout SE Asia