Lékué Microwave or Oven Steamer – product review
Steaming is a healthy method of cooking and I use my large multi-tier steamer very often when I am cooking for a group of friends. It’s ideal for fish and delicate vegetables and steaming is said to retain more of the vitamins and nutrients than boiling. But that appliance is large and makes for plenty of washing up at the end of the meal, so it’s not so practical when there’s only one or two for dinner. I am delighted to announce that there is a little gadget that will save both time and washing-up liquid.
The Lékué silicone steamer is a soft rubbery container with a perforated draining plate in the same material for the bottom. One simply fills it with steamable food and puts it in the microwave. Although it’s also oven-safe let’s take advantage of our microwaves as they don’t require pre-heating and, let’s be honest, you’ve only been using it to heat your coffee, anyway.
Ready in no time at all
This lime-green gizmo cooks salmon fillets in just a few minutes. Obviously a thick steak would take longer but it’s evident that your dinner could be ready in no time at all. I grated a little fresh ginger and spread that over the fish. I didn’t have time to allow it to marinate but the end result was a flavourful steamed fillet with the tang of exotic spice. A little water with soy sauce under the inner tray helped to develop a good head of steam.
It’s one of those devices that doesn’t look like it should work. The top has just two sides that fold over with no catches or clips to worry about, but the steam doesn’t seem to escape. One can cook veggies to perfection and I have even cooked rice, although one has to experiment with timing and liquid-to-rice ratio. The rice was fluffy with every grain separate so you can indeed cook a full Asian dinner even if your only cooking appliance is that microwave. Perhaps this steamer should be in the kitchen kit of every camper van or mobile home. If you are a lover of steamed fish in particular then this might be a worthwhile addition to your kitchen battery.
The Lékué Microwave or Oven Steamer is attractive, a time-saver and practical, with simple clean-up. Your steamed food will be healthy and delicious and there is even a recipe book to give you some inspiration. It’s a winner.
Product review by Chrissie Walker © 2018
