Editing Double steaming (section)

{{Short description|Cooking technique}}
{{about|the cooking technique involving steaming a ceramic inner container|the cooking technique involving steaming a metal inner container|Bain-marie}}
{{Cuisine of China}}
[[Image:Shark fin home.jpg|thumb|[[Shark fin soup]]]]

'''Double steaming''', sometimes called ''double boiling'', is a [[Chinese cooking techniques|Chinese cooking technique]] to prepare delicate food such as [[bird's nest soup]] and [[shark fin soup]].  The food is covered with water and put in a covered ceramic jar and the jar is then steamed for several hours.  This technique ensures there is no loss of liquid or moisture (its essences) from the food being cooked, hence it is often used with expensive ingredients like Chinese herbal medicines.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Albala|first=Ken|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NTo6c_PJWRgC&dq=%22double+steaming%22+chinese+cooking+technique&pg=RA2-PA87|title=Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia|date=2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-37626-9|pages=84|language=en}}</ref>

In [[Cantonese language|Cantonese]], double steaming is called ''dun'' ({{lang-zh|s=[[wikt:炖|炖]]|t=[[wikt:燉|燉]]|p=dùn}}). The meaning of the Chinese character for ''dun'' in Cantonese is different from that in Mandarin, because ''dun'' means to [[simmer]] or [[stew]] in Mandarin. This technique is also common in [[Fujian]], a neighbouring province of [[Guangdong]] (Canton).

In ancient China, the double steaming method was based on the Chinese philosophy of maintaining health through diet dates as far back as the 6th century BC, when the founder of Taoism, Lao Tzu, famously said, “medicine and food are from the same source”.It was mostly used on the emperor's meal during the fall and winter of the year, when most people are more easily getting sick. The significant difference between its and other meals is that it can cooked expensive food and Precious medicinal materials into one meal. It was served to the emperor for nourishment purpose and continuded in modern time.<ref>{{Cite web |first=區佩嫦 |date=Jan 19, 2019 |title=術語：燉 |url=https://guide.michelin.com/mo/zh_HK/article/features/jargon-stew }}</ref>

This technique is said to achieve the maximum extraction of flavour with little compromise to the flavour or texture of the ingredients used. It is therefore the method of choice for coaxing forth the delicate flavour. Full flavour extraction can take up to 5 hours.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why Double Boiling Is Good For Your Health |url=https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/dining-in/why-double-boiling-is-good-for-your-health |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=MICHELIN Guide |language=en-US}}</ref>