Bamboo steamers, calledzhēnglóng (蒸笼;蒸籠) in Chinese, are a type offood steamer made ofbamboo. They are used commonly inChinese cuisine, especiallydim sum, and usually come in two or more layers. Bamboo steamers have also spread to otherEast Asian andSoutheast Asian countries.
From theNeolithic period, ceramic steamers known asyan have been found at theBanpo site, dating to 5000 BC.[1] In the lowerYangzi River,zeng pots first appeared in theHemudu culture (5000–4500 BC) andLiangzhu culture (3200–2000 BC) and were used to steam rice.[2]
Thezhenglong in its current form originated inSouthern China during theHan dynasty, possibly aroundGuangdong. During the reign ofEmperor Gaozu, generalHan Xin is said to have used bamboo and wood to make cooking utensils, and steam to cook food, in order to avoid filling thebarracks with smoke. Steaming was used to cook dried foods, which were easier to store and preserve. AnEastern Han dynasty (25–220 AD) kitchen mural depicted inDahuting Tomb No.1 inMi County,Henan Province, is the earliest evidence of the origin of modern steamers.
Bamboo steamers are commonly used inCantonese cuisine, such as fordim sum. They are also known in theWestern world for its role in cooking and serving dim sum particularly during the practice ofyum cha.[3]
Steamers are produced by removing the skin from the bamboo, soaking it in water, shaping it into a circle, and hammering it in with nails. The base is made up of wovenbamboo strips, and production can take anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours depending on its size.[4] Each layer has holes on the bottom for steam to rise up. Finally a lid is made to keep the steam in during cooking.
Most steamers are designed to be stacked on top of each other so that the steam can cook multiple servings simultaneously, as well as fit on the table (often on aLazy Susan) while being served.[5]
In recent years, alternatives to bamboo have been developed, includingsilicone.[6]
