All about mantovoks

Everyone knows that every kitchen appliance, every device has its own specific task. But if the purpose of a saucepan or frying pan is quite obvious, then the idea of ​​more specific devices is much worse. It's time to deal with such a device as a mantle cooker.

Already from the very name "mantyshnitsa" it directly follows that it is intended, first of all, for cooking manti. But this is only the main specialization of the kitchen appliance. It can be used to prepare a number of other tasty and healthy dishes. Using a mantle cooker for cooking, there is no doubt that the food will retain its shape and color, will not creep, will not spread, will not lose its juiciness. There are various options for mantle cookers. They may differ:

• the number of tiers;
• used material;
• internal volume;
• design features.

Water is poured into the very bottom, and all other "floors" are used for storing food. The design is necessarily made collapsible, and on the first tier, a lattice bottom is provided, about the same as in a colander. The middle of all tiers is equipped with a special round hole, which allows supporting the movement of steam throughout the volume. Therefore, wherever you put the dish, it will cook evenly and simultaneously with food on other levels.

It is very important to know another point - what are the differences between a mantover and a double boiler. It has long been established that steaming makes food healthier than boiling, frying, or stewing. If people decide to make their diet as complete as possible, they need to use a steamer.... It is much more functional and versatile. When comparing the two appliances, the difference between them becomes immediately clear: the pan in the mantle dishes is larger than in the double boiler, and there are also more tiers in them.

There are almost no practical differences directly when working with them. There are many more steamers in stores than steamers. Replacing them with each other is not difficult. But in mantnitsa, any dish contains more water than in a regular steam bath.

A small household mantle sometimes turns out to be just a pan with metal mesh inserts. But the most typical solution is still an assembly from a number of pan-pallets. They are tightly placed one on top of the other, and the last one at the top is covered with a tight lid. Small options are designed for 3 liters of liquid. But a large mantle pot can hold 10 - 12 liters of water.

The increased displacement increases the time it takes for the water to boil off. Therefore, cooking the product without adding liquid may take longer. But the volume of prepared dishes depends not so much on the capacity as on the width and height.

The simplest structures are equipped with only one tier. More complex devices, especially of a professional class - from 2 to 5. The outer diameter is 24 - 28 cm. The vast majority of mantles are made of aluminum alloys or stainless steel. The top cover can be made of both metal and transparent (based on heat-resistant glass).

Quite often, plastic is used to cover the handles. This allows you to take preheated kitchen utensils without potholders, towels. The same task can be accomplished with wooden handles. Bamboo products deserve a separate discussion. The bottom and top are made of woven straw.

This design (in Chinese "zhenlon", that is, "steam basket") was invented several thousand years ago. It has not yet been fully established when and where exactly the first samples of "jenlon" appeared. The reason is the low preservation of wood in comparison with ceramics, natural stone and bronze. Bamboo steamers are used by almost all Chinese families and are still strictly handmade. The only change was the active use of metal wire.

Since bamboo wood absorbs all sorts of odors, special measures have to be taken. The Chinese tradition is based on the use of banana leaves. In our country, instead of them, grape leaves or parchment paper are laid out on the bottom. Small cooking baskets have a bottom diameter of 0.15 m. Food prepared in such a dish is usually served in it.

Bamboo dishes are good for their absolute environmental safety and the fact that they can cook food in them without consuming electrical energy. You can use such a device on a gas stove, and even on a fire. But care must be taken to ensure that the food does not come into direct contact with the basket.

To do this, make an interlayer of paper or other material. Washing a bamboo basket is not difficult - it is simply rinsed under the tap. The cost of such utensils in China is many times less than in Russia. And yet, in most cases, an electric cooker will be the best choice. Programmable devices have internal burners and are able to work according to a clear schedule.

Most electric cookers are equipped with thermostats. Such devices allow you not to fear a fire if all the water boils away. Returning to the material, it is imperative to mention the enamel mantovers.In a fully functional condition, they work no worse than conventional stainless steel counterparts. However, enamel can deteriorate when heated, and this greatly limits the relevance of enamel products.

For an induction cooker, it is better to choose, of course, a stainless steel cooker. Bamboo products, no matter how good they are in themselves, in this case are categorically not suitable. A when choosing dishes for a glass-ceramic stove, it is imperative to abandon all products with protruding parts. The next important step in the selection is the distinction between classic and electrical models. The former are more pleasant aesthetically, but the latter are more comfortable to work with.

The capacity of the structure and the number of tiers are of great importance. Here you can focus only on your own needs.

As already mentioned, quite different dishes can be prepared in mantnitsa. But the first time, at least, it is worth using them for the most basic task - cooking manti. Regardless of the origin of semi-finished products (home or store), the cooking duration will be a maximum of 35 - 40 minutes. It is best to use the steam technique, because rarely does anyone succeed in doing everything qualitatively in water. Electric models are usually accompanied by instructions explaining all the nuances of use.

And when working with a classic mantle, they do this:

• remove all the tiers and coat them with sunflower oil;
• lay out the manti in steps of 1 - 2 cm;
• check if there are still passages for steam;
• achieve a strong boil and abundant steam release;
• put the tiers in place.

The cooking time for manti in this technique will be ½ hour. Important: multipurpose cookers can also be used to produce juice. For this purpose, instead of shelves, a cone-shaped lattice is placed. Regardless of the work to be done, precautions must be taken so as not to get burned.

See the video below for an overview of the Dolyan steamer-manto-cooker.