Steaming Carrots: Using Aroma For Quick, Easy, And Healthy Meals

Steaming carrots is a quick and easy way to prepare them while preserving their beneficial nutrients, flavours, textures, and colours. There are several ways to steam carrots, including using a steamer basket, a frying pan, or a microwave. Here's a simple method using a steamer basket: First, rinse the carrots with cool water to remove any dirt. You can then prepare them by peeling, chopping, or julienning them, ensuring the pieces are consistent in size. Add about an inch of water and a dash of salt to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Place the carrots in the steamer basket and carefully position it over the boiling water. Cover the saucepan with a lid, leaving a small gap for the steam to vent. Steam the carrots for around 5 to 10 minutes or until they are tender. Finally, drain the carrots and season them as desired.

Wash, peel and slice carrots into even-sized pieces

To steam carrots in your Aroma, you'll first want to wash, peel, and slice your carrots into even-sized pieces. This is an important step to ensure your carrots cook evenly and preserve that vibrant orange colour. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Wash Your Carrots

Before you start peeling, give your carrots a good wash under cool running water to remove any dirt or impurities. You can use a nylon-bristled brush to scrub them gently. This step is important to ensure you remove any lingering dirt or pesticide residue.

Peel the Carrots

There are two common ways to peel carrots: using a vegetable peeler or a paring knife.

Using a Vegetable Peeler

• Place a bowl on your countertop to catch the carrot peels. You could also peel over a cutting board and then scrape the cuttings into the trash afterward.
• Hold the carrot between the thumb and forefinger of your non-dominant hand, tilting it at a 45-degree angle over the bowl with the tip pointing down.
• Place the vegetable peeler at the top of the carrot and push it down along the surface to its tip. Then, pull the peeler upward to make a second slice.
• Rotate the carrot slightly and repeat the process until all the peel has been removed.
• Flip the carrot over and peel the top portion if you haven't already.
• Cut off the tip and the top of the carrot with a knife and discard the peels.

Using a Paring Knife

• Wash the carrot under cool running water.
• Place the tip of the carrot on a cutting board and hold the thick top with your non-dominant hand, tilting it at a 45-degree angle.
• Place the blade of your paring knife at the top of the carrot and scrape down along the surface, removing a thin layer of skin. Be careful not to cut too much of the carrot meat.
• Rotate the carrot and repeat the peeling process until all the skin is removed.
• Cut off the tip and the top of the carrot with the knife and discard the peels.

Slice the Carrots into Even-Sized Pieces

After your carrots are washed and peeled, it's time to cut them into uniform pieces. You can cut them into sticks, matchsticks, or dice, depending on your preference. Here are some common cuts:

• Batonnet: Carrot sticks about 2 inches long and 1/4-inch thick.
• Baton (standard lunch-box carrot sticks): Carrot sticks 2 to 3 inches long and 1/2-inch thick.
• Julienne (matchsticks): Lengths of carrot about 1 to 2 inches long and 1/8-inch thick.
• Small dice: 1/4-inch cubes.
• Medium dice: 1/2-inch cubes.
• Large dice: 3/4-inch cubes.

Now that your carrots are washed, peeled, and sliced, you're ready to move on to the next steps of steaming them in your Aroma!

Add water to your aroma and bring to a boil

To steam carrots in your Aroma, start by adding water to the cooker. You'll want to add enough water to reach about an inch in depth in the pot or saucepan. If you're using a steamer basket without a handle, add it to the pot now—the water level should be right under the basket.

Next, turn on your Aroma and set it to high heat. Allow the water to come to a boil. This is an important step—don't add the carrots to the steamer and then bring the water to a boil.

While you're waiting for the water to boil, you can prepare the carrots. Start by rinsing them with cool water to remove any dirt. Then, peel the carrots and cut off the ends. You can slice the carrots into sticks or chunks, or cut them on a bias for a more elegant presentation. Just be sure to keep the pieces consistent in size to ensure even cooking.

Once the water is boiling, it's time to add the carrots. Place them in the steamer basket, if you have one, and carefully lower the basket into the pot. If you don't have a steamer basket, simply add the carrots directly into the boiling water. Cover the pot with a lid, leaving a small gap to allow the steam to vent.

Let the carrots steam until they are tender. This should take around 4 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of your carrot pieces. Be sure to check on them regularly and remove them from the heat as soon as they are cooked to your liking. Overcooking will result in mushy carrots.

Place carrots in steamer basket and add to boiling water

Place the carrots in a steamer basket. You can peel, chop or julienne them before placing them in the basket, but make sure to keep the pieces a consistent size so that they cook evenly.

Now, add about 1 inch of water and a dash of salt to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Carefully position the steamer basket containing the carrots over the boiling water. Use the lid to cover the saucepan, leaving a small gap to allow the steam to vent.

Steam the carrots for about 5 to 10 minutes or until tender. Check with a fork to see if they are cooked to your liking. Don't overcook them as no one likes mushy carrots!

Once done, carefully remove the carrots from the steamer basket and drain them in a colander. You can now season them with your choice of herbs, spices, or other ingredients.

Cover and steam for 4-10 minutes, checking regularly

Once you've peeled, chopped, or julienned your carrots, it's time to steam them. Add about 1 inch of water and a pinch of salt to your Aroma cooker and bring it to a boil. Place your carrots in the steamer basket, and carefully position the basket over the boiling water. Cover the saucepan with a lid, leaving a small gap for the steam to vent.

Now, you'll steam the carrots for 4 to 10 minutes, checking regularly. This is the most crucial step, as you don't want to overcook your carrots. The ideal outcome is for them to be tender, not mushy. Use a fork to test the doneness of the carrots. When the prongs slide through the carrot with ease, they're ready.

Depending on the thickness and consistency of your carrot pieces, the steaming time may vary. Thinner pieces will cook faster, while thicker pieces may take a little longer. Regularly checking on the carrots during this process is essential to ensure they don't overcook.

Once the carrots are tender, carefully remove them from the steamer and drain any excess water. Now, your carrots are ready for seasoning and serving.

Drain, season and serve

Once your carrots are steamed, it's time to drain, season, and serve.

Drain

The first step is to drain the carrots. Remove them from the steamer and place them in a colander or a bowl. If you're using a rice cooker, you can drain the carrots by running them under cold water. This will also help to stop the cooking process.

Season

Now it's time to season your carrots. You can keep things simple with just a sprinkle of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Or, if you want to get a little more creative, try adding some fresh herbs like thyme, parsley, chives, basil, oregano, or dill. A drizzle of olive oil or melted butter will add a nice richness to the dish.

If you're feeling really adventurous, you could try experimenting with other seasonings like grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, cumin and lime juice, a balsamic reduction, or even a hint of grated garlic.

Serve

Your steamed carrots are now ready to serve! They make a great side dish for any meat or fish. Enjoy!

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