TIPS FOR USING YOUR VAROMA

I've been meaning to write a blog post with varoma tips for a few years now and I must confess when my lovely hubby last night cooked dinner and cooked marinated chicken in the varoma with NO baking paper I decided it is definitely time to do a post!  The varoma was such a pain to clean that I almost wanted to get my water blaster on to it!  lol!  ;)

So this is what hubby should have done!  :)

KEEPING VAROMA TRAY CLEAN!
Wet and squeeze a sheet of baking paper.  Line the upper layer of the varoma tray.  Twist the corners of the paper  to make a shallow 'bowl' shape and pour the meat and marinade onto the baking paper ‘bowl’.  Be sure to keep the side vents exposed so steam can circulate freely.

STEAMING VEGETABLES
Cut denser vegetables (eg. potato, carrot) into smaller pieces and place in the varoma dish.  Place softer vegetables (eg. broccoli, snow peas) in larger pieces on to the varoma tray.

BAMBOO STEAMERS
This is an awesome tip from one of my lovely ThermoFun members Tania Lee, that she shared with us a few years ago in our closed members Facebook group.

The bamboo steamer baskets sit on the inside of the Thermomix lid lip.  They can be used without the varoma as well.  The 15cm diameter basket fits well.
It's a fabulous idea if cooking for a crowd as you can layer bamboo baskets under the varoma.  Give it a go with my Steam Pork Dumplings.

KEEPING FOOD HOT
If your vegetables or meat are cooked and you are wanting them to keep hot while the other half of your dinner may still be cooking - pour boiling water from kettle into your ThermoServer (no lid) and place varoma on top of the ThermoServer.  The steam from the boiling water will keep the food hot.

 

OTHER VAROMA TIPS

Washing salad greens:  place salad greens into varoma and rinse under water.  Place lid on and shake off excess water.  Use as a colander when washing fruit like cherries or grapes etc.

Proving dough: pour boiling water into your ThermoServer and the steam will prove your wrapped up bread dough inside the varoma which sits perfectly on top of the server.

Water level:  always check the water level in your TM bowl when steaming for a long time.  General rule is 500g water is needed for every 30 minutes.  I always begin with boiling water from the kettle.

Steaming liquid:  when steaming meat, chicken and/or vegetables, use the steaming liquid to create a stock which can then be used as a base for soups or broths.

Varoma lid:  to prevent water on your bench from the varoma, use the lid of your varoma as a drip tray to catch any condensation or liquids after steaming.

Reheating: the varoma is fabulous for reheating leftovers.   Place left-overs on (wet and squeezed out) baking paper as demonstrated in my first photo at the top of this post.

Desserts: ramekins, cheese cake tins, silicone molds and small pudding dishes can all be used in the varoma to make delicious winter desserts.  Just be sure that the varoma lid sits properly, otherwise steam will escape and the food inside won’t cook through.

 

VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR TM31 OWNERS

• When using Varoma temperature, Thermomix in Australia are now saying not to go above speed 2.
• The TM31 must now be using the GREEN seal which can be purchased from TM Australia.  Grey seals should NO longer be being used, as they would definitely be more than two years old now.  Seals should be replaced every two years as instructed in your manual.

 

I am often asked for recipes that use the Varoma.  So to make it easy for you, I have collated all my recipes in one post for you.  Click Here

 

For more great tips and recipes on using your thermomix join our free monthly newsletter here:  ThermoFun Newsletter Subscription.

Click Here for more great recipes in a number of e-cookbooks – containing recipes to suit everyone.