Cooking

Steeping

resting off heat under the lid

After removing from the burner, keeping the lid closed so trapped steam continues to work. Used for structural change (rice grain opening) and aroma softening.

When to use

Pilaf (rests 10 min after boiling), tea (3–5 min), tirit, beef stew before service.

Common mistake

Opening the lid mid-steep "to check" — released steam ruins the rice. Time it by the clock, not by eye.

Steps

When the cooking time is up, turn off the burner.
Clamp the lid down. If needed, trap a kitchen cloth under the lid to seal in steam.
Start a timer: pilaf 10 min, tea 3–5 min, beef stew 5–8 min.
When time is up, open the lid and vent once.
For pilaf, lift the grains gently from the bottom — they separate.

Recipes using this technique

This technique hasn't been mapped to recipes yet. We'll be filling this in soon.