小夫妻 Overcooked 無水蒸係乜野？無水蒸同傳統隔水蒸有咩分別？無水蒸好處係咩？有咩無水蒸菜式推介？ 今篇小夫妻一次過解答依d問題！
What is waterless steaming? What’s the difference with traditional steaming? What are its advantages? What related dishes I can try to make? In this article, Little Couple is going to answer all these questions!
咩係無水蒸? What is Waterless Steaming?
無水又點蒸？無水蒸依個詞係相對於普通蒸法，普通既蒸法會有外來水份(例如隔水蒸就係食物下方既滾水，蒸氣爐就係爐中既水蒸氣)所揮發出既水蒸氣將食物蒸熟，而無水蒸就無左外來水份，直接利用食物本身水份揮發出既水蒸氣將佢蒸熟。所以「無水」係講緊無外來水份，「蒸」就因為食物都係靠水蒸氣蒸熟。
有法國朋友就同小夫妻分享過無水蒸既命名本身源自法國一種名為「à l’étouffée」既煮食技法，直釋係「窒息咁煮」，通常就係係煮蔬菜類既食物時，唔加水同只加好少油，蓋好鍋蓋然後開好細火，用食物本身揮發出黎既蒸氣去將食物蒸熟。
Steaming without water sounds non-sense, right? The term waterless steaming is actually coined in contrast to traditional steaming. In traditional steaming, there is external source of water (e.g. a hot pot of water as shown in the photo below or steam released inside a steamer) to produce steam to cook the food. In waterless steaming, the external source of water is absent. Instead, the water in the food itself is vaporised and then steams the food. There is no external source of water so it’s “waterless” and the food is cooked by steam so it’s “steaming”.
A friend from France has once shared with us that this technique originated from France and it’s called “à l’étouffée” in French which literally means cooking food in a choking style. Normally French use this method to cook vegetable and during which no water and little oil would be added. Cover the pot lid and then switch on low heat, the juice in the food will then become steam and make the food steamed.
隔水蒸大家都試過，佢係用食物下方既滾水所揮發既水蒸氣而煮熟食物
We all have tried steaming. It uses the heat released by the steam of hot water in the pot to cook the food.
無水蒸就係將食物直接放上煲，再將煲放上爐面燒，用食物本身既水份所揮發出黎既水蒸氣熱力將佢本身煮熟
In waterless steaming, we put the food in the pot and heat the pot directly on stove. The food is cooked by the vapor comes out from the food itself.
無水蒸有咩好處? What are the advantages?
同隔水蒸一樣，因為唔洗落油，所以咁煮野食會健康D，依樣咁基本就唔多講了。
我地覺得最正既係無水蒸出黎既食物因為可以保留更多食物既水份，食起上黎質感會更飽滿，亦會更鮮味。我地第一次食無水蒸腐乳雞翼時個種香濃又juicy既味道，真係令人相當難忘!
Same as traditional steaming, we don’t use oil in waterless steaming so it’s a healthy way to cook.
The best thing we like is the fact that it keeps the juice in food so it can be juicier and have nicer flavor. The first time when we made Fermented Bean Curd Chicken Wings with this method, the rich flavor and the juiciness just blew our minds.
無水蒸雞翼係將雞翼醃好後就直接放落煲拎去煮，製成品係一咬落去有好多肉汁，而味道亦好香濃，一試難忘!
After margination, we put the chicken wings in a pot and heat it directly. The chicken wings will become very juicy and rich in flavor. It’s really impressive!
無水蒸要點整? How to make?
如果打邊爐最緊要係個爐，咁無水蒸最緊要就係個煲。唔係所有煲都可以用黎做無水蒸，佢要符合以下幾個條件:
- 唔易痴底 – 由於食物直接放上煲，痴底既話成煲食物可以報銷
- 保溫能力強 – 用無水蒸既方法，開火時間一般都係幾分鐘既事，之後就要熄火焗佢，保溫力弱既話食物就會煮唔熟
- 鎖水能力強 – 如果個煲好易令蒸氣散失，唔單止會唔夠熱力煮熟食物，食物仲會越煮越乾，失去無水蒸意義
First we need a suitable pot. The pot should fulfill the following requirements:
- Non-sticky – That’s straight forward. If the food sticks on the pot, we can dispose it right away
- Good heat insulating capability – We only switch on fire for a few minutes. After that we let the lid closed and let the food rest and continue to cook. If the pot is not good at heat insulation, the food will still be raw after cooking
- Good water retaining capability – If the pot just let vapor out easily, not only is it not able to heat the food done, the food will also be drier and drier upon cooking
而要講無水蒸功能性既代表，LC可謂係人人都識既品牌，但不能不提Vermicular，佢有多項工藝細節令無水蒸食物更好食，有興趣都可以到我地既商店睇睇介紹
Speaking of functionality, we have to mention Vermicular which has a number of crafting details for making waterless steamed food more tasty. You may find out more at our shop.
無水蒸既過程一般都係分為以下3個過程
- 開中火 – 令煲內溫度短時間提升到足夠煮熟食物既程度
- 轉細火 – 保持住適當又穩定既高溫烹調食物
- 熄火焗 – 用餘熱將食物徹底煮熟之餘，又可減少食物受爐熱既時間，保留更多食物水份同令佢食上口更腍滑
整無水蒸菜式最難係要專登買個岩用既鑄鐵鍋，其他過程都係好簡單。而無水蒸可以應用落海鮮、雞、豬等等各種食材都得，今篇就會同大家介紹小夫妻之前整過既無水蒸菜式。
The process can generally be divided into 3 steps
- Medium heat on – Set the temperature in the pot high so there is sufficient heat
- Switch to low heat – Keep an appropriate and stable temperature to cook the food
- Heat off and rest – Continue to cook using the remaining heat in the pot. By reducing the time on stove heat, more juice can be preserved
The method can be applied to a wide variety of ingredients including seafood, chicken, pork etc. In this article we will also share with you dishes we have previously made.
有關無水蒸的常見問題 FAQs Regarding Waterless Steaming
無水又點蒸，散播偽科學？
Steaming must involve water. Is waterless steaming pseudo-science?
建議睇完標題就落結論既朋友，可以先重新睇睇樓上內容，謝謝。
People still having this question in mind is advised to re-read the content above. Thank you.
明明係炆/ 慢煮/ 烤，做咩要叫無水蒸？
Obviously this is braising/ simmering/ sous vide/ roasting. How come now a term “waterless steaming” is coined?
係有唔同既。如果簡單咁講，炆/ 慢煮/ 烤所需既時間一般受熱時間都比較長，無水蒸就一般開火10分鐘內完成。而煮出黎既效果都好唔一樣，無水蒸最接近蒸，同其他方法煮出黎既食物好唔同。
如果有興趣知道詳細版分別，可以睇睇樓下有關無水蒸原理既介紹。
Because they are different. To put it simple, the duration of heating the food in braising/ simmering/ sous vide/ roasting is generally longer whereas in waterless steaming we normally heat the food for less than 10 mins. The results are also different. Food undergone waterless steaming tastes closest to steaming. It’s quite different from food cooked by other methods.
就咁燒個煲咪會燶囉？
Does waterless steaming make my pot charred?
無水蒸開爐既時間多數都係10分鐘內，火未黎得切燒乾食物，已經熄左火，所以唔會有足夠時間燒燶個煲。
The duration of heating is normally under 10 mins. Before the heat can make our pot charred we have already switched off fire.
我求其用個煲黎無水蒸有咩問題？
Can I just use a random pot for waterless steaming?
做無水蒸菜式一個主要原因係想令食物質感更腍，同埋保留更多肉汁。如果用既煲無高鎖熱同鎖水特性，就唔會做得到無水蒸既效果。
The major purpose of using waterless steaming is to have our food tenderer and more succulent. If we are using a pot without high capability of heat insulation and water locking, there is no way we can attain the desirable outcome of waterless steaming dishes
無水蒸係咪即係等如放個煲入焗爐焗？
Is waterless steaming same as baking my pot in oven?
放入焗爐就更加係另一件事，開焗爐係用穩定高溫將食物煮至徹底熟透，而烤焗好多時係追求香脆乾身效果，同無水蒸完全唔同。有關背後原理請睇埋下一段。
但當然，你可以純粹係將蓋好既鑄鐵鍋放入焗爐，焗到佢剛剛好有水蒸氣蒸發，再拎返個鍋出黎等水蒸氣蒸熟食物。不過要咁做既話，點解唔直接用爐頭黎燒佢幾分鐘？
They are totally not the same. In oven baking we use stably high temperature to cook the food all the way through and we usually aim at pursuing dry and crispy texture. That’s different from the mechanism of waterless steam. You may also take a look at the next paragraph to know more about the mechanism behind waterless steaming.
But of course, you can just put a sealed cast iron pot into an oven, bake it until sauce is vaporised, and then take it out and let the steam inside cooks the food. But don’t you think that’s a bit more clumsy then just to put the pot on stove and heat it for a few mins?
無水蒸既原理係咩？
What is the mechanism of waterless steaming?
閣下肯睇篇文睇到依度，小夫妻都想俾個認真d既答案你，我地整合左d資料，嘗試用科學角度探討無水蒸點樣煮熟食物，又點解咁煮會好食左，亦詳細d講解佢同其他煮食技法既不同。
係無水蒸既過程中，開爐燒煲個幾分鐘其實就係將最接近煲底既醬料同肉汁加熱至沸點，令佢地變成水蒸氣。另一方面，較遠離爐火既肉有較低既溫度，兩者既溫度差異產生出熱力對流，而水蒸氣就係咁將食物加熱。由於食物都係透過蒸氣加熱煮熟，所以味道會最接近蒸出黎既食物，依度亦解釋左無水蒸同炆、焗、慢煮、烤等等煮食技法既不同。
咁既然都係用水蒸氣，無水蒸同普通蒸原理上有咩唔同？分別就在於熄左火之後既時間，無水蒸既食物係短時間內無左加熱來源，但就透過鑄鐵鍋高鎖熱既特性，將水蒸氣鎖係鍋內繼續煮熟食物，相比傳統蒸法，無水蒸係依個階段既煮食溫度相對較低，亦因此肉類蛋白質既凝固程度較低，食上黎就自然比較腍，加上鑄鐵鍋鎖水力強既特性，食物所保留既肉汁亦相對較多。
因為背後獨特既煮食原理，將無水蒸同其他煮食技法分開命名有佢既合理性，不過如果你都係鍾意叫依種方法做其他名，甚至話佢係「煮」，其實都係各有喜好，反正跟住依個方法去蒸食物真係比較好食先係重點。
We are so thrilled that you didn’t TLDR us and have arrived this section. In this section we would really want to give you a more serious answer for this question so we consolidate some information here and try to share the science behind waterless steaming. How does it cook our food? Why can it cook tastier food? What is the detailed reason waterless steaming should differentiate from other cooking method?
Waterless steaming starts with heating the pot for a few mins. During this process the moisture content in the sauces or around the protein comes to its boiling point and becomes steam. On the other hand, the protein farer away from the fire has a relatively lower temperature. Because of this temperature gradient, convection occurs and the protein is then cooked indirectly by the steam from the liquid below. As the food is cooked by steam, the outcome is closest to that cooked by normal steaming. This mechanism also explains why waterless steaming is different from cooking methods like braising/ simmering/ sous vide/ roasting.
Yet, both traditional steaming and waterless steaming are using steam, how are they essentially different from each other in terms of their mechanism? The key is in the cooking process when the heat is off. Because we cut the flame fairly quickly in waterless steaming, the wet heat continues to gently cook the protein until its interior is just cooked. It’s the lower temperature that makes the protein condensing less firmly and hence the food is tenderer. In addition, as a cast iron pot has the ability of retaining water, the food can also be more succulent.
As you can see, the mechanism behind waterless steaming is quite different from other cooking methods, it makes sense we coin a new name for this method. Yet, if you still don’t like the nomenclature, don’t bother too much and just call it whatever you like. After all what we want is to cook tastier food using this unique cooking method.
小夫妻Overcooked無水蒸菜式 Recipes by Couple Overcooked
依度主要總結每道無水蒸菜式既「中火-細火-熄火焗」時間，想睇更多詳情click入每道菜既連結即可。
We provide the duration summary of cooking time here. If you would like to read more about details of each dish, just click into the links below.
按此可以睇更多有關無水蒸既技巧同食譜
Press here for more techniques and recipes about waterless steaming
蒸魚
依個係我地覺得要煮一條魚最好食既方法！我地用既Vermicular 22cm鑄鐵鍋較深，用左較長既時間，用其他鍋可以自己調節時間
中火5分鐘 – 細火4分 – 熄火焗4分鐘
Steamed Fish
We think that this is the most delicious way to cook a fish! We used a Vermicular 22cm round pot which is deeper so we used a bit longer time to cook.
Medium heat 5 mins – Low heat 4 mins – Rest 4 mins
好食到不得了 金醬無水蒸魚 Unbelievably Tasty Waterless Steamed Fish
蒜蓉腸粉蝦
煮法同用粉絲蒸差唔多，但食起上好唔同，腸粉經過無水蒸後有少少焦香感，好特別
中火3分鐘 – 細火2分 – 熄火焗5分鐘
Prawns with Garlic and Rice Noodles Rolls
Similar recipe as the glass noodles version but it tastes very differently. The rice roll will be very aromatic
Medium heat 3 mins – Low heat 2 mins – Rest 5 mins
蒜蓉腸粉無水蒸蝦 好好味既意外發現 Waterless Steamed Prawns with Garlic and Rice Noodle Rolls Unexpectedly Yummy!
豉汁粉絲蟠龍鱔
依個真係勁好食，鱔會爆汁，粉絲索晒味亦好引人食唔停口，注意調味可以清淡d，咁d粉絲就唔會太咸
中火3分鐘 – 細火5分 – 熄火焗5分鐘
Dragon Eel with Glass Noodles and Soy Sauce
This one is epic. The eel is very juicy and the glass noodles absorb all the essence. Note that the seasoning can be a bit lighter so that the glass noodles won’t be too salty
Medium heat 3 mins – Low heat 5 mins – Rest 5 mins
傳統菜1招升級 豉汁粉絲無水蒸蟠龍鱔 Classic Dish in New Way Waterless Steamed Dragon Eel
蒸肉餅
食肉餅一定係食自己琢既，肉質同味道都正好多。用埋無水蒸黎處理就更加好食
中火3分鐘 – 細火4分 – 熄火焗5分鐘
Pork Patty
To have a nice dish of pork patty we must chop the meat on our own instead of buying minced pork. Using waterless steaming can bring pork patty to a new level
簡單味美 無水蒸肉餅 Simple and Delicious Waterless Steamed Pork Patty
腐乳雞翼
又係一個無水蒸既必食菜式，香濃可口，雞翼充滿肉汁!
中火4分鐘 – 細火4分 – 熄火焗6分鐘
Fermented Bean Curd Chicken Wings
Another must have dish. Very rich in flavour and the wings are full of juice!
神奇組合 無水蒸腐乳雞翼 Magical Combo Waterless Steamed Chicken Wings with Fermented Bean Curd
按此可以睇更多有關無水蒸既技巧同食譜
Press here for more techniques and recipes about waterless steaming
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我地既商店依家都有售賣Vermicular既廚具，有興趣可以睇睇開箱文
Our shop is now having Vermicular cookware. You may take a look at our unboxing article of it:
我地又入坑了 Vermicular 2款鑄鐵鍋開箱連簡單試用 Unboxing Vermicular Pot and Pan
Le Creuset同Vermicular都係我地鍾意既廚具品牌，有興趣知道我地既使用經歷？
Both Le Creuset and Vermicular are cookware brands we like. Interested in know our experience with them?
2個品牌鑄鐵鍋經驗分享 Le Creuset & Vermicular Sharing
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