1.
bamboo steamer; wooden steaming basket
A round bamboo or wooden basket with a slatted bottom used for steaming food over a pot of boiling water. Used both in Japanese cuisine (steamed buns, vegetables, seafood) and in Chinese dim sum.
Originally a Chinese cooking implement; now also fully integrated into Japanese kitchens. The kanji 蒸籠 is rarely written by hand — the kana spelling せいろ is more common in everyday writing.
Common collocations
- 蒸籠で蒸す: to steam in a bamboo steamer
- 蒸籠を重ねる: to stack steamers
- 蒸籠蒸し: a dish steamed in a bamboo steamer
Related use
The word also names a soba dish: 蒸籠そば, cold soba noodles served on a bamboo tray — historically the noodles were once steamed, hence the name.
Similar words
- 蒸し器: steamer (general) — metal multi-tiered steamers, not specifically bamboo
Related Words
Compare:
蒸し器 (steamer)