The steamer filter was lost somewhere, this is how to steam food using 3 tablespoons

photo: Facebook Lisa Bong

Brilio.net – Want to make a steamed snack or just warm up yesterday’s leftover side dishes, but when you check, you don’t have a steamer pan? Or maybe you have a pot, but the steamer filter (nest) has been lost somewhere?

Don’t panic and don’t rush to buy a new pan. You can still steam food using the tools you have in the kitchen. This clever trick comes from a Facebook user named Lisa Bong.

He shared creative ways to get around the limitations of cooking equipment. It turns out, you can transform an ordinary frying pan into a functional steamer just with the help of a tablespoon.

In the video, Lisa Bong shows how three tablespoons are arranged supporting each other so that they firmly hold the food container that will be steamed. In this way, hot steam can cook food without the container being submerged in water. Curious about how? Check out the steps below.

Steps to Make an Emergency Steamer from a Spoon

This trick is very useful for you as a boarding house student or housewife who has limited cooking utensils. Make sure you use a stainless steel (metal) spoon, don’t use a plastic spoon!

1. Prepare a concave frying pan

Take a frying pan or cauldron that you usually use for cooking. Make sure the pan has a lid that fits properly. If you don’t have the original lid, you can use another pan lid that is the size that covers the pan tightly.

2. Arrange 3 Tablespoons

How to Steam Without a Steamer
photo: Facebook/Lisa Bong

Take 3 metal tablespoons. Place them on the bottom of the pan in a criss-cross position or forming a triangle. Make sure the structures support each other so they don’t sway. This spoon arrangement functions as a trivet or coaster to replace the steamer filter.

3. Pour enough water

How to Steam Without a Steamer
photo: Facebook/Lisa Bong

Pour clean water into the pan. Pay attention to the height, don’t let the water exceed the height of the spoon stack so that the water doesn’t get into the food container later.

4. Place Food Containers

How to Steam Without a Steamer
photo: Facebook/Lisa Bong

Prepare the food you want to steam (such as cilok, dim sum, or side dishes) in a heat-resistant container (such as a ceramic plate or stainless steel basket). Place the container right on top of the pile of spoons. Test the balance first, make sure the container stands firmly and is not tilted.

5. Cover and Steam

How to Steam Without a Steamer
photo: Facebook/Lisa Bong

Turn on the stove to medium heat. Close the pan tightly. Let the water steam work to cook your food like an expensive steamer.

How to Steam Without a Steamer
photo: Facebook/Lisa Bong

FAQ Questions about steaming without a filter

1. Will the spoon not be damaged or burnt?

No, as long as there is water in the pan. Stainless steel spoons are heat resistant and safe to boil in boiling water. Make sure the water does not dry out (sat) during the steaming process.

2. What container is safe to place a spoon on?

Use a heat-resistant container. The best choices are stainless steel containers, thick ceramic dishes, or heat-resistant glass bowls (such as Pyrex). Don’t use regular plastic plates because they can melt.

3. Will boiling water not get into food?

As long as you don’t fill the water too full (below the lip of the food container) and when the water boils the shaking isn’t too violent, the water won’t enter. Use only medium heat so that the boiling water remains calm.

4. What foods can be steamed this way?

Almost any food will do. Starting from cooking the cilok dough, steaming dimsum/siomay, making pepes, to simply warming up leftover rice or side dishes.

5. What if you don’t have a pan lid?

You can get around this by covering the wok with a wide zinc tray or large plate whose diameter is wider than the wok, as long as it can keep the steam from escaping.

(brl/tin)