This clever hack allows you to save energy and time by prepping veggies with another dish at the same time.
The scoop
In a recent video, a TikTok user shares a fantastic piece of culinary wisdom — an idea so simple that you'll be baffled as to why it isn't common practice in kitchens everywhere.
"Want to save some energy?" the video's caption reads. "If you're cooking something in a pan, steam something else over the top."
@ktbishopcooks Want to save some energy? #steamcuisine #energysavers #energysaver #cookinghacks #foodhacks #saveenergy #moneysavinghacks #energysavinghacks #ivegotthepower #haveyougotthepower ♬ (I've Got) The Power - The Hit Crew
The video shows the user cooking rice in a deep pot, then placing a steamer full of green beans at the top before covering the whole thing with a lid.
The steaming hack could work for just about anything you cook in water — be it rice, pasta, or potatoes — and can include any veggies you desire, like broccoli, asparagus, spinach, carrots, or cauliflower.
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How it's helping
The hack means less time waiting for your meal to cook, less time cleaning the dishes afterward (because there are fewer dishes to clean), and less money spent on electricity (or gas) to power your burners.
If you have a gas stove, it's especially important to limit use of your burners as much as possible, as they release methane gas into the atmosphere, which contributes to the dangerous overheating of our planet, according to NPR.
Gas stoves can also lead to childhood asthma cases, so if you must use them, it's best to ventilate the kitchen and run an air purifier.
What everyone's saying
Users expressed their appreciation for the TikTok hack in the comments section.
"Normally I complete forget about the veg until everything else is cooked, but this is a far better method 😂 and a great tip!" one user writes.
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