Steam

Steaming unlocks the succulence of okra. Here, the pods are tossed with slivered ginger and a Vietnamese-inspired scallion oil in an all-purpose dish that's great with grilled steak or chicken, or with nothing more than a fragrant bowlful of jasmine rice.

Cook your mussels in one pot with garlic, fennel seeds, and white wine while your linguine cooks in another pot. Combine the two and then toss them with your favorite herbs from the garden and some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Now make believe you're vacationing on the Italian coast.

This one-pot meal—lobster, corn, and green beans—conjures summer in New England. The simple sesame mayonnaise is outstanding for dunking and slathering.

This recipe makes enough salad for a picnic in the park, or to pack in your lunch all week.

Steamed Uku Laulau with Ginger-Scallion Sauce Laulau is the traditional Hawaiian method of wrapping salted fish in taro and ti leaves and then steaming it in the imu. Later, the method was used for salted pork. In this recipe, we get much the same effect using ti leaves in a steamer. Like other snappers, the delicate flesh of the uku is best steamed. The Chinese-style sauce gives the perfect finishing touch without overwhelming the subtle flavors of the fish.

Chef Lynne Gigliotti adapted this Gourmet magazine recipe and added two ingredients often found in traditional versions: saffron for color and yogurt to make the tah-dig (which Gourmet defines as "the crunchy crust of rice on the bottom of the pot") extra crispy and flavorful. The tah-dig is the defining characteristic of Persian rice, a crisp, golden disk that is served atop the fragrant, steaming dish.

The color yellow symbolized joy for medieval Arabs, who were cultivating saffron in Spain by 960 c.e. Sephardic Jews were equally inspired by the coveted spice, and golden rice became a holiday and Sabbath tradition. This version, made with basmati rice, is punctuated by caramelized onion, currants, and fried almonds.

Saffron gives the couscous a gorgeous yellow color.

Double this recipe if you want leftovers for rice bowls.

A bright citrus flavor and crunchy texture make this salad truly refreshing — a delicious balance of savory and sweet with the bonus of a little heat.

This recipe is one of the simplest and most delectable recipes in the book. The flavor of the mussels pairs beautifully with the unique flavor that the saffron imparts to the broth. You will find yourself making this recipe again and again.

Most recipes for steamed mussels call for crusty bread on the side. Here, slices of bread are baked right on top of the mussels. To be sure everyone can enjoy the delicious juices in the bottom of the pans, serve this entrée straight from the cast-iron skillets (use trivets to protect the table).

Geung Chung Jing Hin Editor's note: This recipe is reprinted from My Grandmother's Chinese Kitchen: 100 Family Recipes and Life Lessons, by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo. Clams are the fruit of the sea that represent prosperity and are, to be sure, permissible to be eaten by observant Buddhists, including nuns.

Steamed raisin pudding, or spotted dick, as it's also called, is a traditional English dessert cake that is steamed instead of baked. It can be portioned into 8 ramekins or steamed in a large bowl and turned out as a whole cake. If you're using the ramekins, rather than spooning in the batter, you may want to transfer it to a large pastry bag and pipe it in—this will keep things neat and produce evenly proportioned cakes.

Caraway seeds are often baked into and on top of rye bread, their nutty, spicy fragrance accenting rye’s earthiness. Here, the natural duo crisps in a pan of melted butter before topping steamed cauliflower. In this elegant, simple side dish, crunchy rye crumbs give way to succulent florets and bring out their natural sweetness

Much more interesting than plain mashed potatoes, this purée gets an earthy boost from celery root and chervil and an amazing smoothness and richness from a generous amount of cream.

Find mung bean sprouts in Asian grocery stores and supermarkets.

This fish is steamed on plates, which hold the marinade and juices around the fillets. Be sure that the plates you use have enough of a rim to hold some liquid, and are not larger in diameter than the pan you'll be using to steam. In order to fit the plate on top of the steamer, you'll need a steamer basket that's flat all the way across, without a central protrusion. Many Asian bamboo and stainless-steel steamers have this shape but, if you don't have one, you can substitute a ramekin: Simply place the ramekin on the bottom of the pan, fill the pan with water just to the height of the ramekin, and place the plate on top of the ramekin. In her video demonstration, Chef Cheng uses sole fillets for this dish, but any white, flaky fish such as halibut or flounder, would work well.

These bite-size shrimp balls make for ideal finger food—plus, kids will love the name.