How to steam vegetables without a steamer

Steaming is a technique of cooking that can come in handy when you want to keep your meals light and healthy. The steaming process doesn’t require a single drop of oil and can still cook the vegetables. The best thing about steaming is that it helps in retaining the nutrients and flavours of the vegetables. These steamed vegetables can then be tossed in spices and dressings to add more flavour to them. Usually, steaming is done with the help of a steamer, which is cylindrical kitchen equipment. If you don’t have a steamer in your kitchen, you can still steam your vegetables with the help of the below-given techniques. (all image credits-istock)

Add 1-2 cups of water to a pot and place a strainer on it.
You can add water as per the size of the pot, but make sure that the water doesn’t touch the strainer when it is boiled.
Keep the flame high and bring the water to a boil. Now switch the flame to low-medium.
Add your vegetables to the strainer, but don’t overcrowd it.
Cover the pot with a lid, such that most of the steam gets trapped inside.
Cook for 5-6 minutes and then check. Toss the veggies and close the lid again.
On an average, vegetables usually take 8-10 minutes to steam, but it also depends on the type of vegetable and can take lesser time as well.

Take a large piece of aluminum foil and crush it to make a ping-pong ball-sized sphere.
Make four such balls using aluminum foil.
Add 1 cup of water to a pot and bring it to a boil.
Place these four balls into the pot and place a small plate on the balls.
Aluminum foil will float on the water and will hold the plate in place.
Now add the vegetables that you wish to steam on the plate and keep the flame medium.
Cover the pot with a lid and steam the vegetables for 8-10 minutes.

If you have a metal rack in the kitchen, then it will come in handy for steaming.
Boil some water in a pot and place the metal rack on it.
Place the vegetables on the metal rack and either cover the pot with a lid or with an aluminum foil sheet to prevent the heat from escaping.
Steam the veggies until done and then remove the rack from the pot.

Roughly chop the vegetables and add them to a pressure cooker.
For every 1 cup of veggies, you need to add 4-5 tablespoons of water.
Cover the pressure cooker with a lid and put the whistle on.
Keep the flame medium-high and cook for two whistles to get the perfectly steamed and tender veggies.

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