Double steaming facts for kids
Double steaming, also known as double boiling, is a special cooking method from China. It's used to prepare delicate foods like bird's nest soup and shark fin soup. In this technique, the food is placed in a covered ceramic pot. This pot is then put inside a larger pot filled with water. The larger pot is heated, and the steam cooks the food gently inside the smaller pot for several hours. This way, no liquid or flavor escapes from the food. It's often used for expensive ingredients or traditional Chinese herbal medicines.
In Cantonese, this method is called dun (simplified Chinese: 炖; traditional Chinese: 燉; pinyin: dùn). The meaning of dun in Cantonese is different from its meaning in Mandarin. In Mandarin, dun usually means to simmer or stew food. Double steaming is also a common cooking method in Fujian, a province next to Guangdong (Canton).
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How Double Steaming Works
This cooking method is very gentle. The food never directly touches the boiling water. Instead, it cooks slowly from the heat of the steam surrounding its container. This helps to keep the food's natural flavors and nutrients locked in. It's perfect for ingredients that need a long, slow cook without drying out.
Famous Double-Steamed Dishes
Many delicious dishes are made using double steaming. These often include special soups and desserts.
Sweet Soups and Herbs
Tong sui, which are Chinese dessert soups, are sometimes made using double steaming. These soups can include special herbs that are believed to be good for your health.
The Winter Melon Urn
Cantonese cuisine is well-known for its slow-cooked soups. One very famous dish is called the winter melon urn (冬瓜盅). To make it, a large winter melon is carefully hollowed out. The outside of the melon is often carved with beautiful designs. The inside is then filled with soup ingredients. These can include Chinese cured ham and various Chinese herbs.
The whole melon, with its original lid, is then double-steamed for at least four hours. As it cooks, the delicious flavor of the soup soaks into the melon's flesh. The entire melon is brought to the dinner table. To serve, the soup and some of the soft melon wall are scooped out. In this dish, the edible winter melon acts like the special double-steaming pot. This works because winter melon has a waxy, waterproof skin. Winter melon is thought to be very nourishing.
Coconut Dessert with Hasma
A special dessert called double-steamed frog ovaries in a coconut (椰青燉雪蛤膏) is a traditional dish. It's often prepared for women. For this dessert, traditional Chinese ingredients, including hasma (a special ingredient), spices, and rock sugar, are placed inside a young coconut. They soak in the coconut's natural juice. The filled coconut is then double-steamed for several hours. After cooking, the whole coconut is served at the table. The delicious contents and the soft inside wall of the coconut are scooped out to be enjoyed.
