I steam the veggies instead of roasting them in this easy bowl, and their clean flavors shine under a lightly spicy, tangy chili vinaigrette.
If you had asked me two weeks ago about the best way to cook (flavorful) veggies, my unwavering answer would have been: roast them. I’m a sucker for all things roasty, toasty, caramelized, slightly crisp and even a tad bit charred… the simple steamed veggie is just a bit, well, simple for me. That is, until now…
Our oven went kaput a few weeks ago and I was forced to get a little creative. (Although, thank you Thermador for coming to the rescue!). My little oven haitus seemed miserable at first, but it’s in fact incidents like these that force me to think outside of the box. (Or in my case, outside of the oven).
Enter: the bamboo steamer. You don’t necessarily need a bamboo steamer to steam veggies, but I just love the subtle woody flavor it imparts. That bamboo-ey aroma brought me right back to Kyoto, where simplicity is celebrated. I made this bowl a meal with some black rice, tofu, and a bright, tangy sauce.
(I have this mini-bamboo steamer – which is the perfect size for veggies for the 2 of us).
Chili-Orange Veggie Bowl
- ½ cup forbidden rice (uncooked)
- 1 small sweet potato, cubed
- A few scallions (optional)
- 1 bunch of broccolini
- 2 small carrots, peeled into ribbons
- A few slabs of tofu
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- Handful of sprouts
- Sprinkle of sesame seeds
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt & pepper, as needed
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sambal chili paste or sriracha
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- Cook the rice according to the instructions on your rice cooker. (You can use the white rice setting for the black forbidden rice).
- Steam veggies in a bamboo steamer (ideally). Use a shallow skillet where the steamer fits just inside the outer edge, so that 1 inch of water can simmer underneath. Place the sweet potatoes and broccolini in separate steamer trays. Add the scallions on top and a few pinches of salt & pepper. Start the sweet potatoes first (they'll take longer). Cover and let them steam, checking around the 20 minute mark. Once they're almost tender, add the broccolini tray and steam both for an additional 10 or so minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the dressing, set aside.
- (optional) Toss carrot ribbons with a splash of rice vinegar and a few pinches of salt. Let marinate until ready to use.
- (optional) Pan sear your tofu slabs. Press the water out with paper towels, drizzle with a bit of soy sauce. Heat oil in a skillet, add the tofu, and cook for a few minutes per side. Remove and chop into cubes.
- Assemble bowls with rice & toppings. Drizzle with the dressing and serve extra on the side.
ohhhh this looks so good. my oven’s been on the fritz for a few months (!!!) and i’ve been desperately missing roasted vegetables. i’ll definitely give this a shot to tide me over tip it get’s fixed.
Wow, this sounds absolutely delightful!! and I am curious now at having an attempt at steaming though is there a problem with loss of some nutrients when steaming?
Hi Lola,
I’m not an expert on the topic, but I think it’s boiling (for a long time) that loses the most nutrients. Here’s a quick interesting article (I’m sure you can google about it more): http://www.thekitchn.com/fact-or-fiction-microwaving-vegetables-destroys-nutrients-178081
I was without an oven for a year! It went out on us right before our home renovation and, well . . . the renovation took longer than anticipated. 🙂 So, I sympathize. But, it appears you created a winner out of your situation – much like the saying: lemonade out of lemons perhaps? The sauce combines some great flavors. And all those vegetables – so good for us. What a yummy, light meal!
omg, a year! I once went 3 months during a renovation… it was rough 🙂
Wow, this looks beautiful! And deliciuos, too, of course – but the colours are incredible, so fresh and bright. I love steamed veggies and the bamboo steamer sounds interesting. I can almost taste the special flavor… Yum!
Ha, I guess mission accomplished if I can make flavors come through the computer screen 🙂
Definitely! ;D
I also love roasted veggies, but this looks amazing. My boo sometimes gets annoyed at the roasted veggie smell, so I’m excited to try this. I’m lucky to have both an Asian grocery and a Mexican tiendita about five minutes from me. I might to swing by that Asian grocery to get myself one of these baskets.
you are lucky 🙂 Hope you like the bamboo steamer!
Love how bright and fresh this sounds especially with that chili/orange dressing.
thanks Kathryn 🙂
I’ve never cooked with a bamboo steamer but I bet anything would taste fantastic lathered in that delicious looking chili-orange vinaigrette!
thanks shelly!
Ficou bem bonita com essa cores, bjs
muito obrigado 🙂
Como siempre apetitosa e inmensamente sanas.
Besos
¡muchas gracias xo
So pretty!! Love the flavors and I am eating forbidden rice as I type! 🙂
ha, nice coincidence 🙂
I’ve always thought about getting a bamboo steamer. I have a metal insert for the pot right now, but I bet the texture of veggies in the bamboo steamer are slightly better. Love the chili-orange combination too!
Thanks Erin! They did have a nice texture – you should try the bamboo steamer, I bet you’ll like it a lot…
OMG you are making me soooo hungry. You have new follower for sure!
Allie of ALLIE NYC
allienyc.com
thanks Allie… and welcome!
This looks delicious. I attempted the chili-orange sauce and found it a great flavor to spice up our usual rice bowl combo. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Tiffany, glad you liked it!
I have a bamboo steamer that has never been used, After seeing this I will give it a try. Never thought about the flavor it would add. Thanks!
Hi Cheri – you should give it a try! I had barely used mine either, now I just love it 🙂
That looks so so delicious!
I love big bowls of goodness, that just make you feel great tucking into them.
{Teffy’s Perks} X
Hi Teffy, Thanks! yep, it’s definitely “curl up on the couch on a cold night” kind of food 🙂
I’m with you, roasting is my all-time favorite way to get veggies nice and crispy. Steaming sounds lovely, although I think of it as usually a summery way to cook, I love that it is quick and gets everything crunchy!
It was a fun change of pace for me, (not to mention, less mess to clean up which is always a plus!)
This looks so good! So colourful and healthy.
I love a good hearty veggie bowl. The dressing sounds fantastic. Happy Monday!
thanks! Happy monday to you too 🙂
i never thought steamed vegetables would be so flavorful – enter this delicious sauce. thanks for sharing this bowl.
Thanks Dixya, I figured a really punchy sauce would do the trick 🙂
Coming from an Asian background, I simply love steamed foods. it creates such a velvety texture that is impossible to create any other way. Your idea to use it in salad would be a textural flavor bomb.
So pretty, bright and love use of black rice in this salad.
thanks Belinda! I love how the bamboo steamer keeps them from getting too mushy (which is my usual hangup with steamed foods)… guess I’d just been doing it wrong 🙂