In the long scroll of Chinese food culture, bamboo steamer occupys an irreplaceable position with their unique form and functions. This seemingly simple cooking utensil is actually the crystallization of the wisdom of ancient people in using steam to cook, and it still exudes unique charm in modern kitchens.
The application scenarios of bamboo steamers are extremely wide. In Cantonese teahouses, stacks of steaming bamboo steamers are the symbol of morning tea, and dim sum such as shrimp dumplings, siu mai, and barbecued pork buns complete their final transformation in bamboo steamer; in the kitchens of Jiangnan people, steamed buns steamed in bamboo steamers have a faint bamboo fragrance; Sichuan’s steamed pork with rice flour and Zhejiang’s lotus leaf steamed pork with rice flour are inseparable from the blessing of bamboo steamers. In addition to staple dim sum, bamboo steamer is also suitable for steaming ingredients such as fish and vegetables, which can preserve the original flavor of food to the greatest extent. Today, with the rise of the healthy diet trend, this cooking way without oil is even more precious.
The working principle of the bamboo steamer reflects the ancients’ ingenious use of natural forces. Its core lies in the unique structure of bamboo and the circulation system of steam. When the steamer is placed on boiling water, water vapor rises evenly through the tiny gaps between the bamboo strips. The natural air permeability of bamboo prevents the accumulation of condensed water, so that the food does not lose its taste due to excessive moisture. The design of the multi-layer steamer is more intelligent – the steam penetrates each layer from bottom to top, and the upper layer of the steamer uses the water evaporated by the lower layer of food to heat, forming an efficient energy utilization cycle.
Compared with metal steamers, bamboo steamer has irreplaceable advantages. The natural ingredients in bamboo can absorb food odors, and the longer it is used, the more unique fragrance it can emit; its porous structure can automatically adjust the humidity to prevent food from being too wet or too dry; the uniform heat conduction of bamboo ensures the consistency of food heating. These characteristics make bamboo steamer always occupy an important position in the pursuit of the original taste of food.
From ancient times to the present, bamboo steamer carrys not only food, but also a continuation of a cooking philosophy. In today’s modern kitchen equipment that is changing with each passing day, bamboo steamers still tell the respect for nature and the pursuit of original taste in oriental food culture with their unique characteristics. The moment we open the lid of the bamboo steamer, what hits us is not only the aroma of food, but also the fragrance of thousands of years of culinary wisdom.
