Hack for steaming dumplings

 I'm posting this after the fact.  We've been out of power for the last few days, due to cylone Alfred.  We put most of our food from the 'fridge and the freezer into ice chests -- so we're slowly going through it before it spoils: I'm using a butane camp stove, and cooking outside under our covered porch.

Among other things are some hum bao dumplings. But -- I have no idea where we put our steamer.

Then I got the idea of cutting some sticks and putting them in my saucepan, as some sort of rack.  Or!  Even easier -- just using three butter knives.

Worked!!!

Except that I have to cook the dumplings one at a time.  But, that's okay.

And no, having the butter knives in the water won't de-temper the steel:  you have to get a lot hotter than just "boiling".  But, just to be safe, I put them "handle down":  it doesn't matter if the ends of the handles lose their hardness. 

 

Bonus:  the pot is from my maternal grandmother's estate (from her kitchen).

 

--GG