Alright, so I decided to tackle making some proper steamed buns the other day. Pulled out that old bamboo dim sum container I’ve had kicking around forever. You know the type, woven bamboo, smells kinda like… well, bamboo and old steam.
Getting Started
First thing, I had to actually find the darn thing. It was buried in the back of the cupboard behind a bunch of stuff I never use. Gave it a quick rinse, though honestly, I wasn’t sure if that does much. Looked okay, no obvious fuzzy bits, so good enough for me.
Then I remembered you’re supposed to line it. Last time I tried this, everything stuck like crazy. Total disaster. So, I thought I’d be smart this time. Found some cabbage leaves, washed ’em, and laid them out flat inside. Seemed like a good plan.
- Got the water boiling in the wok.
- Put the container with the buns on their cabbage beds inside.
- Popped the lid on.
- Waited.
The Realization
Smelled pretty good for a while. But you know, fiddling with that steamer, it got me thinking. This container wasn’t just any old thing. My grandmother gave it to me years ago. She used to make amazing stuff in hers. Never stuck, always perfect. Me? I’m wrestling with cabbage leaves hoping for the best.
It’s funny, isn’t it? How a simple thing like a bamboo basket can make you feel like a complete klutz. She brought it over once, back when I’d just moved into my own place. Said I needed to know how to make more than just toast. I remember thinking, “Yeah, easy for you to say,” but I took it, stuck it in a cupboard, and mostly forgot about it.
Then life got busy. You know how it is. Work, bills, all that nonsense. Trying to live up to things, expectations maybe? Felt like I was always rushing, never quite getting things right. Dropped the ball a few times, professionally, personally. Lost a job once because the company basically imploded overnight, real mess. Left me scrambling for months. During that time, I barely cooked anything more complicated than pasta. Definitely wasn’t whipping out the ol’ dim sum steamer.
Back to the Steamer
So yeah, standing there, watching the steam curl up, felt a bit weird. Like I was finally trying to do that simple thing she suggested all those years ago. Felt kinda dumb for taking so long, honestly.
Anyway, back to the buns. I lifted the lid. The cabbage trick? It mostly worked! Buns looked pretty decent, not glued to the bottom this time. They weren’t grandma-level perfect, mind you. A bit lopsided. But they were cooked through, and they tasted alright.
Cleaned the container out afterwards. Still smelled like bamboo. Reckon it always will. It’s not about being perfect, I guess. Just about actually doing it, finally getting around to using the thing. Took me long enough.