Steaming

Steaming cooks food with water vapor produced by boiling water, usually without immersing the food in liquid. The vapor transfers heat while limiting direct contact with water.

Water vapor: Water in its gaseous state, formed when liquid water evaporates or boils. Boiling water supplies the vapor that carries heat to food.
Boiling: The rapid vaporization of a liquid throughout its volume when it reaches its boiling point. Boiling water produces the vapor used to cook food.
Bamboo steamer: A stackable, lidded basket made from bamboo for cooking food over boiling water. It lets several foods cook in layers while steam passes through the baskets.
Gelatinization: The process in which starch granules absorb water, swell, and lose their crystalline structure when heated. Steam and moisture gelatinize starch in foods such as rice and dumplings.
Latent heat: Energy absorbed or released during a change of state without a temperature change. Condensing steam releases latent heat onto the food.
Boiling point: The temperature at which a liquid's vapor pressure equals the surrounding pressure. It determines the temperature of steam generated in an ordinary covered pot.
Dim sum: A Cantonese tradition of small dishes commonly served with tea. Many dumplings and buns in dim sum are cooked by steaming.
Protein denaturation: A change in a protein's structure caused by heat or other conditions. Steam's heat unfolds proteins, changing the texture of eggs, fish, and vegetables.
Convection: Heat transfer through the movement of fluids, including liquids and gases. Circulating steam distributes heat around food in a steamer.
Moist heat cooking: Cooking methods that use water or water vapor to transfer heat to food. Steaming is one member of this broader family of cooking methods.

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