Which cooking method involves cooking food in a small amount of water or steam?

The chosen cooking method involves cooking food in a small amount of water or steam, which makes it particularly gentle and effective in retaining the food's nutrients, color, and flavor. Steaming uses steam from boiling water to cook food without direct contact with the water, which helps preserve vitamins and minerals that can leach out in other cooking methods like boiling.

In this method, food is typically placed in a steamer basket or a similar appliance, allowing the steam to circulate around it. This technique is favored in many cuisines for vegetables, fish, and even some desserts.

Other methods such as boiling involve submerging food entirely in water, which can lead to nutrient loss. Sautéing involves cooking food quickly in a small amount of fat over high heat, and blanching is a brief cooking process where food is boiled briefly and then plunged into ice water to halt the cooking process. While all these methods have their benefits, the key characteristic of steaming is its reliance on steam to cook food rather than immersing it in water or fat.