Practical tips
Tips on steaming
We recommend using:
–Steam with pressure 120 °C for rapidly cooking robust foods.
–Steam without pressure 100 °C for gently cooking delicate foods.
–You can select any shelf level. You can also cook on several levels at the same time. This will not alter the cooking duration.
–When cooking frozen food, e.g. vegetables, ensure that any large clumps frozen together are broken up first so that they cook evenly. The cooking duration is approximately the same as for fresh vegetables.
–Frozen and fresh vegetables which take the same length of time to cook can be cooked together.
–Frozen fish should be partially defrosted before cooking. We recommend using the "Defrost" function (see "Defrosting" for more information).
–Cooking with steam retains the true taste of the food better than conventional cooking. Therefore food should not be seasoned until after it has been cooked.
–Only fill solid containers 3/4 full with liquid.
–Soak pulses and grains in cold water before cooking.
Pulses and grains swell during cooking and so need to be cooked in liquid. The ratio of
–Rice also swells when cooked and should be cooked in liquid. The proportion of food to liquid will vary depending on the type of rice and how it has been
–Dry pasta and noodles should be well covered with liquid. Reduce the
cooking time recommended on the packaging by about 1/3 as the pasta will start to swell during the heating up time.
–Cooking liquids do not boil away. They are either absorbed by the food, as with rice and pasta, or they remain in the dish as with casseroles. The liquid can then be used for making a sauce, e.g. by adding crème fraîche.
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