Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I bought these knowing I was making a mistake. I thought "Here's another kitchen gadget that I'll never use." But I've wanted to move toward steaming, so I thought I'd give them a try.
The day they arrived I had a chicken breast thawing in the fridge. I washed a steamer and sprayed it with olive oil (per the directions,) threw a few asparagus on the bottom, then added the chicken breast and gave it a quick shot of olive oil spray. On a whim, I cut up some papaya and mango and layered the slices on top of the chicken breast. I put it in the microwave for three minutes.
After three minutes I pulled it out and checked the chicken temperature. It wasn't quite done, so I put it back for another 30 seconds. I checked again--perfect. (If you don't have a meat thermometer, I use this one and like it a lot: Taylor Waterproof Digital Thermometer.)
The flavor was amazing. Everything was cooked perfectly. Nothing scorched or was undercooked. The chicken was tender and moist and worked well with the fruits, and the asparagus had wonderful flavor and kept its appealing green color. It took about five minutes of washing and cutting and three and a half minutes of cooking. I had a really good dinner in less than 10 minutes.
Clean up was incredibly easy. There was no greasy mess to clean, so a quick hand-wash of the steamer and I was done.
Since it's a 12-ounce container, it also does a good job of keeping me from preparing too much food when I'm hungry. Most days I end up squishing the food down a little to get the lid to seal, because my eyes are bigger than the steamer.
When I use both to feed two, I build one and put it in the microwave, then prepare the second while the first is cooking. The first one retains the heat while the second is cooking, as long as I don't crack the lid open.
I've also used this for fish and shrimp, and for vegetables alone. Everything is steamed from the moisture in the food, or from what remains after washing the vegetables. I add no water.
My usual routine is to put a vegetable on the bottom (asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, or corn so far,) then the seafood or chicken, then something on top for flavor. Every fruit, herb, and spice I've tried works well, and adds an interesting flavor to the meal. I'll bet onions will work, too. (Hmm... I know what I'm having for dinner tomorrow.)
Easy to use, easy to clean up, very quick, steaming produces delicious meals, portion control... I love these. The only things to remember are: don't use anything sharp on these, and be sure to check the temperature of the food to see that it's fully cooked. Oh, and if something does pop while it's in the microwave, check the lid to see that it's still sealed. With all that in mind, I can't recommend these steamers highly enough.
9/2/10: Ok, time to admit to the failures. There have been two.
The chicken with papaya and mango was so good that I tried again, and since I had some kiwifruit I threw that in there, too. The kiwi didn't work well--the texture was fine but for some reason it became really salty. I didn't add any salt, so I can't explain it.
The second failure: sweet potato. Just trust me on that.
Except for the sweet potato episode, I like these more and more every time I use them. I've lost track of the times I've reached for the cereal thinking I was too tired to make a real dinner, then changed my mind and grabbed one of these instead.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Orka 12-Ounce Blue Silicone Steamers, Set of 2
The French call them papillotes; Orka calls them ingenious.These smart silicone steam "cookers" take time-pressed cooks and make them mini-gourmands.These are perfect for quick healthy and delicious microwave cooking.Of all the cooking methods, steaming is one of the healthiest.And Orka steamers make it super easy.Simply add your favorite meat, poultry or fish; add vegetables as desired, plus seasonings.No water or added oils or fats needed.Keep the flavor, vitamins and minerals and lose the fat.Cover, place in the microwave or oven and minutes later, dinner is served.The benefits are food cooks in its own juice, no water or fat required.Preserves essential vitamins and minerals.Enhances taste without mixing flavors.Fish cooks without drying; meat remains tender.
Click here for more information about Orka 12-Ounce Blue Silicone Steamers, Set of 2
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