Do you know that steamed potatoes primarily contain fiber and have fewer calories? However, we are still not familiar with how to steam potatoes? Potato being a good ingredient for a healthy and balanced diet includes many methods to prepare it, but none is better and healthier than steaming it.
The 2 methods we recommend is Using a Fitted Steamer Basket or Using a Pan Fitted With a Fan Steamer. There are different kinds of potatoes, but the ones we’re talking about today are the white potatoes. You can even use these methods on red potatoes as well.
Potatoes are pretty good for you and can be a great addition to your diet. On that note, we shall look in detail at “how to steam a potato.†Before we begin on that, let’s look at some of the materials that we’re going to need.
Materials Required
Potato Peeler
This instrument is used to make potato peeling easier. It’s sometimes difficult to peel potatoes using a knife as you might cut a huge chunk of the potato skin along with the peel.
Peelers make it easier through their design that ensures only the peel and a small amount of potato skin is removed. You must have if you want to speed up the peeling process.
Salt and Herbs
These ingredients are mostly for flavoring purposes. The most common way is to season with salt and pepper for taste but when using herbs that’s something different.
There are many different kinds of herbs out there, and so the ones you’re going to use will mostly depend on personal taste and preference.
For Method 1
A Pot
This is one of the more common kitchen utensils. A pot is used in many different ways, to fry, to boil and even to cook. We’re going to need a pot of water in this instance so that it can be used with a steamer basket.
The best pot for the job is one that can accommodate a steamer basket. We’d advised using a large round pot (it all depends on how many people you’re preparing the meal for).
A Steamer Basket
This utensil is a metal basket with a handle and is used for steaming vegetables. The basket is normally sold with a pot.
Steamer baskets are better for some than a fan steamer. This is probably because of their shape, which allows for more vegetables to be placed inside it. In addition, the handle is a great touch as it makes it easier to take the utensil out of the pot.
For Method 2
Pan Fitted With A Fan Steamer
This utensil resembles a metal colander, in fact, you can use one If you don’t have a fan steamer. You can find this utensil in many kitchens as it’s much easier to find.
For those who have it, you can go straight to the second method on how to steam potatoes. You can buy the fan steamer separately or purchase a pan that’s fitted with one.
Kettle
We’ll also need a kettle for steaming our potatoes. Kettles are usually used to heat up water for a myriad of purposes. Many use kettles to boil water that they’ll use for tea. People prefer kettles probably because they can boil the water faster and in a shorter period
Methods on How To Steam Potatoes
Method 1: Using a Fitted Steamer Basket
Step 1: Wash Potatoes and Add Water To A Pot
The first step would be to wash the potatoes. Of course, there is a lot of debate on whether to peel the potatoes or not. Some say by peeling the potatoes, you are taking away the part that protects the flavor of the potatoes when being cooked or steamed.
Others argue that that isn’t true. To be honest, this again depends on your preference. Many people like their potatoes peeled, some don’t. It all depends on you. All you need to do is make sure that the potatoes cleaned thoroughly well. Take a large pot that will fit the steamer basket and add about one inch of water into the pot.
Step 2: Place Potatoes in A Steamer Basket
The biggest challenge here is to ensure that the all the potatoes are properly steamed. You can do this by cutting the potatoes into smaller pieces, but this might sound tedious to some.
The best thing to do is to arrange the potatoes in the steamer basket. Keep the large potatoes at the bottom and the smaller ones at the top.
Step 3: Steam the Potatoes
The important ingredient in the steaming process has you guessed it steam! We need steam to complete the process. You need to ensure that you properly cover the potatoes so that no steam escapes. The pot should be placed in medium heat.
You can expect the potatoes to be ready in about 30-40 minutes. The potatoes are ready if a knife can easily slide into the potatoes. Remember to check a few to ensure that they’re ready.
Step 4: Transfer the Potatoes and Add Some Finishing Touches
Once the potatoes are done, take them out and add some few things to complete the dish. You can add two tablespoons of melted butter, some kosher salt, and herbs. Once all three added, stir together and enjoy your beautiful meal of steamed potatoes.
Method 2: Using a Pan Fitted With a Fan Steamer
Let us start by saying that this method on how to steam potatoes is a bit different as we won’t be boiling the water on a cooker. We only need low heat from the cooker, so that the water is gently boiling and not going cold. Instead, we shall use already boiled water from a kettle. Let’s begin shall we:
Step 1: Heat the Water in A Kettle
Before you start anything, boil the water first in a kettle. Make sure the water is done boiling in the kettle before pouring it into the pot.
Step 2: Pour Boiling Water Into a Pan
Once the water is ready, get a pan with a fitted fan steamer and pour the boiling water into it. At this point, we assume that the potatoes are ready.
Step 3: Place the Potatoes in The Steamer
There isn’t much to be done regarding preparing the potatoes. You could choose to peel them or not, bit you do need to wash them thoroughly. Once the potatoes are on the steamer, place a tight lid on the pot. Before putting the lid, add some salt, and herbs of your choosing.
Step 4: Steam Until They’re Done
At this point, you need to ensure that there is a low heat going so that the water is gently boiling and not cooling down. It will take about 20-25 minutes for the potatoes to be ready. You could use a thin skewer or a knife to ensure that the potatoes are ready. You’ll know they are ready when the center is soft and not hard.
Conclusion
We find using the fan steamer or the steamer basket to be the best, healthy for steaming potatoes. Steamed potatoes are pretty healthy and are a great addition to a balanced and nutritious diet. Contrary to what you might think, steamed potatoes are actually pretty delicious.
