Have I gushed about the love I have for my bamboo steamer? How did I live for so long without one? One weekend, out of nowhere, Rob wanted to go to the mall and buy a bamboo steamer. I had seen bamboo steamers around but I couldn’t even imagine how to use one. Plus, how do you clean them? It seemed like too much trouble. At any rate, Rob wanted one so we bought one. That evening I had to figure out how to use it. Turns out, you don’t have to place the food right on the bamboo trays, you can use a plate in the bottom of the tray. So the first thing we made was tilapia and asparagus. And guess what? It was easy and delicious! This evening, I got home and steamed dumplings and edamame– easy and fast and yummy!

So here is the secret:

FISH & VEGGIES
Place the fish in the lower tray on a plate. Squeeze some lemon or lime juice on it and a shake of Old Bay Seasoning.
On the top tray, place the vegetables on a plate– I like Asparagus best.
Boil water in a wok or frying pan and place the steamer into the pot. Let it steam for about 7 minutes. Remove the veggies first since they cook faster (That’s why we put them in the top tray).
Serve with rice.

DUMPLINGS & EDAMAME
I only use one tray for this one. On the bottom of the tray place a paper towel. On the paper towel place the frozen dumplings (these can be bought at any asian grocery). Next to the dumplings, throw a handful of frozen edamame. Steam for about 5 – 7 minutes. Serve the dumplings with soy or dumpling sauce.

Now that you’ve eaten, all you have to do is rinse the bamboo steamer, wipe it with a soapy sponge, rinse and dry.