A perforated basket that sits inside a covered pot above a few centimetres of simmering water, so the food cooks in steam rather than in the water. The common forms are a collapsible stainless basket with folding petals that adjusts to the pot, a silicone basket, and a fitted insert that sits in the rim of a matching saucepan. Steaming keeps vegetables bright, firm and intact, suits fish and shellfish, dumplings, tamales and puddings, and loses fewer nutrients to the water than boiling. Also called a steamer insert.
The water must not touch the food and the lid must fit, or the steam escapes and the cooking slows. Add a splash more water for long steaming so the pot does not boil dry. A bamboo steamer is the Chinese equivalent used over a wok.