If there’s one cooking technique that’s the heart of Cantonese cooking, it’s steaming. We’ve got dim sum, freshly steamed whole fish, tender chicken and seasonal vegetables. Steaming is what comfort food means to me because it’s the method my family uses the most. It’s easy, healthy and always delicious. In this post, I’m going to show you how to steam food without a steamer!

Table of Contents

• Why Steam Your Food (Health Benefits, Flavour, Texture)
• My Favourite Steamed Recipes
• How to Steam Food Without a Steamer
• Tips for the Best Results

Why Steam Your Food?

Steaming is honestly one of my favourite ways to cook. It’s healthy, quick and doesn’t require much effort. Most dishes are ready in under 20 minutes.

Steaming is healthy because you don’t need much oil and it keeps all the natural nutrients in your food. The ingredients cook gently in their own juices, so they stay colourful, tasty and full of flavour. It’s a simple way to eat something light and still really delicious.

When I’m busy, I like to marinate meats ahead of time like my steamed pork belly in black bean sauce or steamed chicken with fermented bean curd and keep them in the fridge. At lunchtime, all I have to do is pop them in the steamer and I’ve got a hot meal ready in less than 30 minutes.

The texture is what makes steaming so special. Fish comes out silky, chicken stays tender, and vegetables keep their fresh crunch. You also end up with a naturally made sauce from the juices, which is perfect poured over rice or noodles.

My Favourite Steamed Recipes

I started an IG reel series called Hot & Steamy where I share my favourite Cantonese steamed dish recipes!

You can find all my steamed recipes in the menu bar under Recipes > Cooking Method > Steamed. But here are my absolute favourites:

• Chinese Steamed Egg
• Steamed Pork Belly in Black Bean Sauce
• Steamed Chicken with Fermented Bean Curd
• Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai
• Chinese Steamed Cabbage Rolls

How to Steam Food Without a Steamer

Step 1: Use a deep wok, pot or pan

You don’t actually need to buy a special steamer to make steamed food at home. You can make a DIY steamer at home! All you need is a deep vessel to cook in, such as a wok, a pot or a deep pan. The size depends on the dish you will be steaming in.

At home, we like to use a deep plate or a pasta bowl, it has a wide surface area so the food can spread out and cook evenly. The plate is also about 2–3 inches deep which helps catch all the delicious sauce. If I’m using this type of plate, I usually go for a large deep pan that can fit it comfortably.

Step 2: Set up a steaming rack

Place a steaming rack inside so your dish sits above the water. The whole point is to elevate your dish so it’s not directly touching the hot water, otherwise you’d just be boiling. The steaming rack you see in my videos actually came with my Instant Pot, but you can also find plenty on Amazon. I’ve linked the one I recommend below.

If you don’t have a steaming rack, don’t stress. You can use anything heatproof to level it up. I like using three forks (all the same size and shape) placed in a triangle to prop up the plate, which is surprisingly sturdy. You can also flip a shallow heatproof bowl or dish upside down and place the plate on top.

Step 3: Add water and steam

Pour in about 2 inches of boiling water. I like using boiling water because it heats up faster and you can start timing once it’s bubbling. Make sure the water isn’t touching the highest part of the rack, otherwise the bubbling could hit your dish.

Cover the pot with a lid, making sure the lid is not touching the food, and turn the heat to high. Once you see the water bubbling or steam coming out, start timing.

Steaming times really depend on a few things — how much meat you’re using, how thin it’s sliced, and the type of dish. A wide, shallow plate will cook faster than a deep bowl, for example.

Here’s a rough guide I use for all my steamed dish recipes, and I always steam on high:

• Eggs: 3 eggs — a slightly different method. Steam on high for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat, keep the lid on, and let the residual heat cook them for 7–8 minutes.
• Vegetables: 3–5 minutes
• Whole fish: 800g sea bream, 13–15 minutes
• Chicken thighs: 450g, sliced into 2-inch pieces, 12–15 minutes
• Pork belly: 350g, sliced into 1-inch pieces, 18–20 minutes

Step 4: Take it out safely

After steaming, the plate will be extremely hot so you need to be careful. I like using a steaming tong because it makes it a lot easier to lift the plate safely. You can also use two dry towels to grab it, but be careful because the steam can make the towels wet and you might burn your hands.

I get my steaming tong from Amazon and it works really well.

Tips for the Best Results

Use high heat

I always steam on high and never for more than 20 to 30 minutes. It cooks the food quickly and keeps the texture just right.

Keep food evenly spread

Make sure your meat, fish or vegetables aren’t stacked on top of each other. Spread everything out in an even layer so it cooks at the same pace and looks better on the plate.

Don’t open the lid too often

Every time you open it, steam escapes and cooking slows down. Only check once the timer is up. For fish, if you need to check, pierce the thickest part with a skewer. If the juices run clear, it’s done. The same goes for other meats, there should be no pink or red juices when you poke them.

Feel free to ask me any questions about steaming in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them.

Happy steaming! 🙂

Disclaimer: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you click and buy something, I may earn a small commission from Amazon or other retailers — always at no extra cost to you. It’s just one of the ways you can support me (Karen, aka daigasikfaan) and help keep the kitchen running with new recipes. Thank you so much for your love and support!