Steam

Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 40 min

When we were children, shrimp dumplings were our favorite dim sum dish. The classic filling is shrimp and bamboo shoots. The dough is not difficult to make, but it is very important that the water be boiling hot. If it is not hot enough, the wheat starch will not cook and the dough will not work. Wheat starch _(dung fun)_is only available in Chinatown; regular white flour is not a substitute. The tortilla press used here is excellent for making the dough into thin, uniform rounds, but you can also make the dumplings by hand: Roll the dough into scant 1-inch balls. Place one ball between your lightly floured hands and press to form a circle. Press the dough evenly with your fingertips to make it as thin as possible, about 3 inches in diameter and a scant 1/8-inch thick.

Hor Neung Pla Duk Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 21/4 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe was created to accompany Cold Poached Chicken with Ginger Scallion Oil .

Steaming couscous may be a bit more time-consuming than the usual boiling method, but we feel the results are well worth it. Steaming makes the grains fluffier and much more tender. You'll need a bowl-shaped steamer, such as a basket steamer, or you could set a metal sieve into the saucepan.

Rum and spices-classic Caribbean ingredients-also happen to be the classic ingredients in the traditional English steamed pudding. This lovely version of the Christmas dessert is from the Grand View Beach Hotel, Villa Point, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Begin preparing it at least one day before serving.

Do not attempt this dish unless the fish is very fresh. Steaming is used only for fresh, delicately flavored fish.

In this version of the classic holiday dessert, a croissant bread pudding is steamed in the oven instead of on the stove top. Ignite the finished product in front of the guests for maximum effect.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This is a rich, filling way of serving mussels. Make sure to have a lot of good bread to sop up all the juices.

Scallion-infused oil, or pa gireum in Korean, is a fragrant way to upgrade a pot of rice.

A homemade black bean sauce is better than anything you can find in the grocery store. Plus, the 15-minute dinner you can make with it.

Steamed fish with potatoes get drenched in a flavorful brown butter infused with anchovies and chives for a bistro-like meal that comes together in no time.