Vegetables Steam A Little

Farmers’ markets are one of the joys of summer. City dwellers that open the freezer before cooking, get a chance to buy fresh vegetables.

Preparation time is longer though because spinach, carrots, onions, beets or potatoes must be washed thoroughly to remove soil particles. Veggies are either boiled, steamed, grilled, roasted or eaten raw.

Most people prefer boiling because it’s faster, but the best way to preserve nutrients is to steam them. Steamers are available online or from specialized Chinese shops downtown. Some cookware manufacturers also include steamers in pot sets.

The goodness of vegetables is annihilated if they are over-cooked like school canteen, prison or hospital food. Institutions don’t have a choice I guess. They cook for a large number of people in big pots while doing other chores in those industrial kitchens.

The traditional Chinese steamer gives you the option of cooking two vegetables in one go. However, although steaming is healthier than boiling veggies to a pulp, steaming them longer is just as bad.

Crunchy is the key word. If they are not crunchy, they are overcooked. Potatoes need more time on the steamer obviously, but carrots, pumpkin and sweet potatoes need seven minutes max.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.