Double Steaming

Double steaming, sometimes called double boiling, is a Chinese cooking technique used to prepare delicate foods such as bird's nest soup and shark fin soup. The food is covered with water, placed in a covered ceramic jar, and the jar is then steamed for several hours. Because the technique ensures there is no loss of liquid or moisture, or of the food's essences, during cooking, it is often used with expensive ingredients such as Chinese herbal medicines.