Varoma Demo

I didn't have a cooking lesson on the weekend, unfortunately, as I was away.  However, I can tell you about the varoma demo I had last Thursday.

As I mentioned in one of my previous blogs, the varoma is the steamer part of the TM.  It consists of a deep lower tray, with holes in the bottom, a shallower top tray, also with holes, and a lid.  It sits on top of the TM bowl, and the food in the 2 trays is cooked by way of steam from the boiling liquid in the bowl.

E ran the demo, which was part demonstration, and part cooking class for me.  I had cut the chicken and pumpkin into cubes, which would be used to make a salad with cuscus and salad vegies.  I had no idea that it was so hard to peel pumpkin!  E showed me how to place these in the bottom tray of the varoma, spreading the meat and pumpkin out so they could cook evenly.

Then, E wet some kitchen paper, and I squeezed it out and put it in the top tray.  I thought this would cover all the holes, but there are some around the rim of the top tray, and E showed me how to tear the corners from the paper so that these holes wouldn't be covered. Then E put some cuscus into the top tray, which I spread out.  We then set the varoma aside for later.

When everyone arived, E made an amazing softserve using berries, sugar and an egg white.  Delicious, and just like icecream.  I was surprised at just how noisy the TM was when it was chopping the frozen berries. 

This was followed by the most amazing sundried tomato and kashew dip, half of which was made into a dressing for the salad.

E then made some pizza dough, half of which is now in my freezer for me to make a pizza of my own!  E got me to press out the dough once it had risen, which was great.  I loved the feel of the slightly elastic dough, and the smell of the yeast.  It reminded me of when I made bread at school - the only cooking lesson I enjoyed.  Of course, I was worried that the dough wasn't exactly the same thickness all over, and wasn't perfectly round.  Lovely E just said that it was home cooked and that cooking wasn't an exact science - 2 things I like hearing and am actually starting to believe.  We baked the dough with garlic and rosemary on top, which was delicious, and smelt fantastic!

Next, E made a chickpea and vegetable soup, which would cook at the same time the varoma was steaming on top of the TM.  Half way through the cooking time, E got me to give the bottom tray of the varoma a stir.  I was a bit worried about the steam, but it was all fine.  I was able to put the top tray on the bottom one, put the lid on, and put the assembled varoma back on the TM.  Not scary at all!

After the soup and salad were cooked, E showed me how to use salad servers to mix the salad.  I'd never done this, believe it or not, as I never made a mixed salad before getting the TM, as I don't really like the classic garden salad.  The salad was absolutely delicious, and so was the soup!

Then it was my turn.  I had to make the cupcake batter.  This was an amazing batter of eggs, flour, sugar, lemon rind, and coconut milk.  I couldn't get over how fast the butter and sugar creamed together.  I have horrible memories of standing trying unsuccessfully to cream butter and sugar at school.  This was so easy!  It was also amazing how the batter came together in seconds, with no fuss, and very little mess.  I think I'll have to use a spatula though to scrape down the sides of the bowl next time, as the batter was very sticky and messy to touch.

I then had the task of filling E's adorable little silicon patty pans - I want some!  As usual, I worried that they wouldn't all be filled to the same amount, and E gave her usual advice about home cooking.  She's so good for me, as she makes everything OK!

After some time, I got all the patty pans filled, and into the varoma on top of the TM.  In 20 minutes they were cooked.  E made a lovely syrup from lemon juice, sugar and water, which she poured over the cupcakes.  They were absolutely divine!  Actually they were more like steamed puddings than cupcakes.

I finished off the evening by frothing the milk for everyone's coffee.  I just followed the instructions in the EDC, and it worked perfectly.

I was able to get the Steming Ahead cookbook for half price, and was able to buy a carry bag for the TM at a discounted price.  A great success!  I can't wait to steam something now!