Steam cooking allows about three to five preparations to be done at the same time with the minimum of fuel use.
Steamers come in either basket or the metal type.
Chinese steaming baskets are made from bamboo and consist of two baskets and a lid. A new bamboo steamer should be soaked in water overnight before it is used for the first time. On the other hand, Chinese metal steamers have two baskets with a lid and a pot-style base, and can be used for direct and indirect steaming. The base and lid can serve as saucepan or be used for stewing long-cooking ingredients. Metal steamers not necessarily Chinese are also popular.