Mishandling the pot lid

While steaming, not everyone follows proper lid etiquette. Throughout the process, the lid should be kept on and tight so that the steam has the confined space it needs to thoroughly cook the grub. There should be some space between the food and the lid to allow steam to circulate. Make the mistake of piling the food in the basket so high that it grazes the underside of the lid.

One of the most important aspects of steaming is keeping the lid tightly closed so that the steam can do its job. Because steaming cooks food quickly, there's no need to check halfway through cooking time, depending on what you're making and how much is in the basket. You can easily see how the steam job is progressing if you use a clear lid, but an opaque cover is a little trickier. If necessary, you can slightly crack it to check, but this is not recommended. The only other time you may need to lift the lid is if you add another food to the basket that requires less steaming time than the first.