Your Rice Cooker Steams Five Real Dinners

The Countertop Steamer Hiding in Plain Sight

Tuesday is appliance day, and today's star is the electric food steamer, the tiered plastic tower most of us got as a gift and parked behind the toaster. It cooks with hot steam, so there's no oil, no splatter, and nothing to scrub. You load it, set a timer, and walk away. Five dinners, one gadget, almost no dishes.

Steaming also keeps food tender instead of dried out, which makes it a surprisingly good fit for fish, dumplings, and vegetables that tend to turn sad in a hot oven.

The One Rule: Steam Needs Room

Steam only works if it can circulate. Do not stack the baskets full to the brim. Leave small gaps between pieces, fill the water reservoir to the max line, and put slower-cooking foods (chicken, potatoes) in the bottom tier closest to the steam, with quick-cooking items (fish, greens) on top. Line baskets with parchment rounds with a few holes poked in them, or with cabbage leaves, so nothing sticks.

Five Dinners From One Steamer

1. Ginger-Scallion Salmon and Rice. Season two 5-ounce salmon fillets with salt, a spoonful of grated ginger, and sliced scallions. Steam for 10 to 12 minutes, until the fish flakes easily. Drizzle with soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil. Serve over rice.

2. Frozen Dumplings With Bok Choy. Arrange 12 frozen dumplings on parchment in the bottom tier. Steam 10 to 12 minutes. Add halved baby bok choy to the top tier for the last 5 minutes. Dip in soy sauce mixed with a little rice vinegar.

3. Chicken and Broccoli Bowls. Slice 1 pound of boneless chicken breast into thin strips, toss with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and steam 15 to 18 minutes until it reaches 165°F. Add broccoli florets for the last 6 minutes. Toss with your favorite stir-fry sauce.

4. Loaded Steamed Sweet Potatoes. Cut two sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes and steam 15 to 20 minutes until fork-tender. Mash with butter, or leave chunky and top with black beans, salsa, and a spoonful of yogurt.

5. Shrimp and Veggie Sheet-Free Boil. Steam baby potatoes first for 15 minutes, then add corn rounds and 1 pound of peeled shrimp on the top tier for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and curled. Toss with melted butter and Old Bay.

Cheat-Sheet: Steaming Times

Bottom Line

One forgotten gadget, five dinners, and a cleanup that amounts to rinsing a few baskets. Most of these meals land on the table in 20 minutes or less, and the ingredients cost a few dollars per serving. Dust off the steamer and let it earn its counter space.