Wa-Seiro (Japanese Steaming Basket)

Wa-seiro / Japanese steaming basket (和せいろ in Japanese)  is a traditional Japanese cooking tool used for steaming glutinous rice, dumplings, vegetables, and other ingredients, or for steaming dishes together with their serving cups. It's made by bending a wooden board into a circular shape. Using steam to heat the ingredients gives a soft, fluffy result without making them soggy.

If you don't have a seiro, you can also steam the dish in its cup by boiling water in a fry pan or pot. In this case, line the bottom with a cloth to keep the cup stable, and use a heatproof cup.

Chinese-style steamers are also commonly used for steamed dishes. Wa-seiro is generally taller than a Chinese-style steamer, which makes it well suited for dishes like “chawanmushi” that are steamed in their cups. Additionally, while a Chinese-style steamer's lid is designed to let some steam escape, wa-seiro uses a wooden lid, which helps it retain steam more effectively.