“When it comes to steaming, your imagination is the only limit,” says Courtney Roulston, chef extraordinaire and the brains behind many of The Biggest Loser Club recipes. “It’s the best way to cook because it not only retains more nutrients than baking or grilling, but saves the flavours too.”
Steaming is one of her favourite ways to cook because it’s 100% fat free, she says. “Plus, it’s a lot easier than grilling, frying or roasting because there’s no risk of burning. It’s harder to overcook things, so it can be great for new cooks.”
If you like succulent fish and juicy vegies, steaming is your best friend because it seals in the moisture. “And if your food is not dried out, you won’t need to cover it in creamy or oily dressings to put the moisture back in, so it’s the perfect way to cook for people watching their calories.”
Steamy adventure
Courtney’s advice? Get steamy in the kitchen and mix up your recipes. “Have a play,” she says. “Lots of world flavours lend themselves to steaming, especially Asian dishes. Why not pick a country and follow a theme?” She suggests marinading fish in ginger, shallots, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil before steaming it, and then spooning any remaining sauce over your rice. Or, to give it a Thai twist, try lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, soy sauce and chilli.
“Start with something basic, such as white fish with lemon, olive oil and parsley, then experiment with oysters, vegies and whole fish. You can steam lobsters, crayfish, crabs – get adventurous. One of my favourite recipes is mussels steamed with beer and lemongrass. It’s all about using your imagination.”
Too skint to steam?
If you don’t own a steamer and don’t want to buy one just yet, Courtney’s got a very clever tip: create your own using foil and baking paper! Place a 30-40cm piece of foil on the counter, then a 30-40cm piece of baking paper on top of that. Place your marinaded fish, vegies or chicken on top of that with some liquid, such as lemon juice or white wine. Fold the foil up and crimp around the edges so that there are no gaps and pop it in the oven.
The steam solution
Serve up 150g of steamed snapper you’ll be eating just 186 calories, compared with 216 calories if it were grilled or a hefty 305 calories for the battered, deep fried version. Just as shocking is the vitamin count – vegetables retain 60% of their vitamin C when steamed, compared to just 30% when boiled.
Take a look at our ‘How to steam fish’ guide that follows and then try out some of Courtney’s recipes, such as steamed ocean trout with ginger and bok choy or steamed haruan fish.
Click to enlarge photos
In the kitchen
Preparing the meal
Cooking up a storm
How to steam fish
Step 1
First thing's first; you need to select a steamer. There are many to choose from, and which one you go for just depends on your personal preference:
- Steamer inserts for saucepans or rice cookers
- Three-piece stainless steel steamers
- Steaming trivets which can be used in woks to raise smaller pans or plates above water
- Bamboo steamers, which are cheap and suitable for all types of steamed food
Step 2
Marinate or season the fish
Place the fish on a plate. Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle over the fish. Refrigerate and allow the fish to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
Step 3
Prepare the steamer
Half fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Cover the base of a bamboo steamer with 1–2 cabbage leaves. Place the fish on the cabbage leaves and drizzle with any remaining marinade.
Step 4
Steam the fish
Place the steamer on top of the saucepan and ensure that the water is not touching the steamer – if it is, pour out some water. Adjust the heat so that the water is just boiling and place the lid on the steamer. Steam for 10–12 minutes according to the thickness of the fish – thick fillets may need more steaming time and thin fillets less time.
Step 5
Check if it's done
Carefully remove the lid from the steamer and gently prod the fish with a fork – when cooked, it will be opaque and starting to flake.
Step 6
Serve
Use an egg flip to remove the fish from the steamer and transfer it to a serving plate. Sprinkle the fish with herbs or sliced spring onions and serve with your choice of vegetables.