Mushiki
Bamboo steamers, called zhēnglóng (蒸笼; 蒸籠) in Chinese, originated in the Han dynasty in Canton area.
The most famous kind of bamboo steamers are used in Chinese cuisine and date back to 5,000 years in Southern China.[1] They are produced by removing the skin from the bamboo, soaking it in water, shaping it into a circle, and hammering it in with nails. The base is made up of woven bamboo strips, and production can take anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours depending on its size.[2]
Bamboo steamers have become prominent to the Western world for its role in cooking and serving dim sum, particularly during the practice of yum cha.[3] They are designed to be stacked on top of each other so that the steam can cook many different servings simultaneously, as well as fit on the table (often on a Lazy Susan) while being served.[4]
In recent years, alternatives to the traditional bamboo material have been developed, including silicone.[5]