On Jan 25, 2:01*pm, Lynn from Fargo > wrote:
>
> Should I use both "baskets" if I only have food in one?

No, what would be the point of that? In restaurants you sometimes see
tall stacks of those baskets. It's a pretty efficient system as the
steam rises through a whole series of baskets. If you're only
steaming one thing, use one basket and the lid.

>*What happens
> if the bottom one sits in the boiling water 1/4" . . . 1" ??

You want the basket to sit above the water, not in it. Your 10" or
11" wok has sloping sides, doesn't it? So a 10" basket should rest an
inch or two above the bottom.

> If I cook two things the bottom will cook faster and the steam that
> cooks the bottom food will transfer flavors/aromas to the top food,
> right?

Not so's you'd notice, usually. Steam that rises through one basket
to and through the upper one is still steam, still about 212F
degrees. The bottom one is closer to the heat source but that doesn't
seem to matter. I've never noticed any transfer of flavors either,
though it seems possible theoretically that miniscule particles could
be carried in the steam. Not something to worry about. Just put the
thing that needs to cook longer in the bottom basket. Either remove
the top basket and let the bottom one steam longer, or start the
bottom one first and add the top one later, using the lid on either
one or both.

> *What if I put three pyrex ramekins under
> the bottom of he whole bamboo shebang?

If that's needed to raise the basket out of the water, something like
that would work, but it ought not to be needed if the wok sides are
slanted.

>*Does the bottom of the lowest
> basket have to touch the sides of the wok all the way around ?

No, that's just how it usually works.

Within the basket I usually put the food on a dish. Leaves of various
kinds work fine, too, such as lotus or banana or cabbage or
lettuce. -aem