Which method uses the vapor produced when water is heated to the boiling point to cook food?

• A. Knead
• B. Fold-in
• C. Steam
• D. Cream

Answer: (C)

Steam cooking uses the vapor produced when water boils to transfer heat to the food. When water reaches boiling, it becomes steam, which carries a lot of heat energy. As that steam comes into contact with the food and condenses on its surface, it deposits heat and cooks the food from the outside in, while the moisture helps keep it tender and prevents drying. This method is gentle and great for vegetables, fish, dumplings, and other foods that benefit from moist heat.

The other terms describe mixing or handling ingredients rather than cooking with vapor. Kneading is about developing gluten in dough, fold-in is a technique to gently incorporate ingredients, and creaming is beating fat with sugar to aerate mixtures. None of these rely on cooking with steam.