A steamer is a kind of vessel, similar to a casserole, which is relatively round and flat with a tube in the middle. Like an upside-down funnel, the surrounding edges are turned up. The main function is to accumulate steam, because it is not allowed to drain water from the boiler dishes. The steamer made in Yunnan is the best. Compared with the steamer made in other areas, the main difference is that the light tap will make a metallic sound, and the steamer dishes will have a better flavor. There are two in my family, one is Jianshui and the other is Yixing.

Steamed chicken

1. Fresh chicken or duck, one. If you want to choose freshly slaughtered chickens or ducks, you must not use frozen ones. It's better to be a firewood hen, because the main dish in the steamer is soup.

2. There must be a Amomum tsao-ko produced in Yunnan. Why do you choose Yunnan? Because Yunnan has a special aroma. I bought it in a supermarket or a drugstore, and it doesn't have this fragrance. I have tried it many times.

3. The appropriate amount of water-soaked mushrooms mainly depends on your own taste. Note: Mushroom water is not needed, which will spoil the taste of steamer dishes.

4. Appropriate amount of onion and ginger slices. For a chicken, I use about three one-inch wide onion segments and four slices of ginger.

Practice: 1. Cut the chicken or duck into pieces, preferably smaller pieces. If you are afraid of being greasy, you can remove the skin. Chop it and put it in a steamer. Don't blanch it with water. Add the cooked mushrooms, onion and ginger slices.

2. The Amomum tsao-ko should be broken so that the fragrance can be emitted.

3. Add a proper amount of salt without adding any seasoning. If the chicken or duck is chosen well, the taste will be very rich.

4. Find a bigger steamer, put the steamer in it, add enough water and cover it. Steam on high fire for 1-2 hours, without adding water or lifting the lid. If there is no suitable steamer, you can find a pot on which the steamer can be placed, and wrap the joint of the two pots with a wet towel, which can reduce the loss of steam. At the same time, soup stock can be used instead of water, so that the steamer dishes made are more rich and fragrant. This is the most traditional way of steaming pot chicken. You can also add medicinal materials such as bamboo shoots, dictyophora, sea cucumber, abalone, ginseng (American ginseng), angelica, astragalus, medlar, jujube and so on according to your taste.

note: I have tried all the above methods, and I prefer the original ones without adding herbs. I hope you can cook your favorite steamer dishes as soon as possible!