Steamer basket substitutes

A metal colander or fine-mesh sieve that sits in or on the rim of a pot is a steamer basket in all but name.

Best for

steaming vegetables, potatoes for mashing, reheating rice and grains, couscous

Prep

Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a pot the colander fits into or rests on. The base of the colander must sit above the water. Add the food in an even layer and cover with the lid; if the lid will not sit flat over the handles, tent the top with foil.

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It has to be all metal: no plastic handles or feet that sit inside the pot. A loose lid lets steam escape, so cooking takes a little longer and the water needs checking. The handles and rim get very hot; lift it out with oven mitts. A deep bowl-shaped sieve piles food up, so stir once halfway.

Three balls of foil hold a plate above the water in a wide pot, which gives the flat surface a bamboo steamer has.

Best for

dumplings and bao buns, steamed fish, steamed eggs and custards, tamales

Prep

Roll three sheets of foil into balls about 2 inches across and space them in a wide, deep pot or wok. Add water to come halfway up the balls, about 1 inch. Set a heatproof plate on top with a gap around its edge for steam to rise, lay the food on the plate, cover and steam. Line the plate with parchment or cabbage leaves for dumplings and buns so they do not stick.

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A plate is solid, so steam reaches the food from the sides and top only; leave 1 inch of space between pieces and expect to add 1 to 2 minutes. Condensation collects on the plate. Use a plate marked oven-safe or heatproof, and lift it out with tongs or a folded towel. For steams longer than 15 minutes, top up with boiling water.

A small amount of water in a lidded skillet cooks vegetables mostly in steam, with no insert at all.

Best for

broccoli, green beans and asparagus, carrots and snap peas, leafy greens

Prep

Put the vegetables in a 12-inch skillet with ¼ to ½ cup of water and a pinch of salt. Cover, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Uncover and let any remaining water boil off.

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The bottom layer sits in the water, so it is a little softer than the top and loses slightly more color into the pan. It does not work for dumplings, buns, fish fillets or anything that falls apart or goes soggy when wet.

A little water in a covered microwave-safe bowl turns to steam and cooks vegetables in minutes.

Best for

broccoli and cauliflower, green beans and carrots, spinach, single servings

Prep

Put the vegetables in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. Cover with a microwave-safe plate, leaving a small gap. Microwave on high for 2 to 4 minutes, checking after 2, and let stand covered for 1 minute.

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Microwaves heat unevenly, so cut pieces the same size and stir once for large amounts. Lift the plate away from you: the steam underneath burns. No foil and no metal in the microwave. It does not suit dumplings or buns, which turn tough.

A cooling rack set in a deep roasting pan of water and tented with foil steams a large batch in the oven or across two burners.

Best for

large batches of vegetables, tamales, whole fish, crab legs

Prep

Pour 1 inch of boiling water into a roasting pan, set an oven-safe wire rack over it so the food stays above the water, arrange the food on the rack, and seal the top tightly with foil. Steam in a 400°F oven or over two burners on medium.

Use a metal roasting pan: glass and ceramic dishes must not go on a burner. It is slower to get going than a pot, and the foil has to be sealed at the edges or the steam escapes. Open the foil away from you. Small pieces fall through a wide rack, so line it with parchment with holes poked in it.

A flat metal mesh splatter screen laid across a pot of simmering water holds food on top, with an upturned bowl as the lid.

Best for

a few dumplings, small amounts of vegetables, reheating tortillas and buns

Prep

Simmer 1 inch of water in a wide pot, lay the splatter screen across the top, arrange the food in one layer and cover it with an upturned heatproof metal bowl.

The screen holds only a single layer of light food and can sag under weight. Use an all-metal screen; plastic handles and rims soften over a burner. The bowl gets hot, so lift it with a towel.

A plastic colander or plastic storage basket set in or over a pot on the stove.

Best for

draining only

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Plastic softens and can melt where it touches the hot pot or hangs near the burner. Use metal, or a heatproof plate on foil balls.

Dropping the food into the water instead of holding it above.

Best for

sturdy vegetables only, as a different method

Texture

waterlogged

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Boiling is a different method: buns and steamed breads turn to paste, tamales fall apart, and fish fillets break up. Vegetables can be boiled, but they lose more color and flavor to the water and overcook faster.