♪♪
Narrator:
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN STEAMING FOOD
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
ONCE UPON A TIME, STEAMERS
WERE MADE OUT OF CLAY POTS
WITH PERFORATED FLOORS.
TODAY, WE'VE COME UP
WITH ALL SORTS OF METAL
AND PLASTIC INNOVATIONS.
THE TRADITIONAL BAMBOO STEAMER
IS A PERFECT BALANCE
BETWEEN THE OLD AND THE NEW.
PERFECTED BY
GENERATIONS OF CRAFTSMEN,
TRADITIONAL BAMBOO STEAMERS ARE
LIGHTWEIGHT, STRONG,
AND DURABLE.
THEY LOOK LIKE
SIMPLE COOKING TOOLS,
BUT BUILDING THEM REQUIRES
ENORMOUS ARTISANAL SKILL.
THE CRAFTSMAN BUYS LENGTHS
OF BAMBOO FROM LOCAL FARMERS.
HE USES A TRADITIONAL PLANER
HE CRAFTED HIMSELF
TO SMOOTH THE BAMBOO JOINTS.
A CUSTOMIZED CHOPPER TOOL HELPS
HIM SPLIT THE BAMBOO LENGTHWISE.
HE INSERTS A BAMBOO STICK
TO HOLD THE SPLIT OPEN.
AFTER REMOVING THE CHOPPER,
HE PULLS ON THE STICK
TO SPLIT
THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE BAMBOO.
THE CRAFTSMAN SPLITS
THE SECTIONS AGAIN.
TO ASSEMBLE THE STEAMER BASE,
THE CRAFTSMAN WILL SPLIT
THE BAMBOO INTO 32 PIECES.
THE COVER WILL REQUIRE
128 PIECES.
A CUSTOM-MADE KNIFE KNOCKS DOWN
THE INTERSECTIONS OF THE BAMBOO.
FOR THE STEAMER'S COVER,
THE CRAFTSMAN SPLITS
THE BAMBOO HORIZONTALLY.
NEXT, THE CRAFTSMAN USES THIS
SLICING TOOL TO CUT THE WOOD.
HE SETS THE DESIRED WIDTH
AND SLICES A THIN SHEET
OF WOOD LENGTHWISE.
HE USES THIS SECTION OF WOOD
TO FORM THE BASE OF THE STEAMER
AND SLIDES A BAMBOO RING
OVER IT TO HOLD IT IN PLACE.
THEN, HE PUNCHES SMALL HOLES
WITH A DRILL...
...AND REINFORCES THE JOINT
WITH STAINLESS-STEEL WIRE.
THE INSTALLATION PROCESS
BEGINS --
FIRST, BY INSTALLING
A SERIES OF INNER RINGS
WHICH WILL SERVE TO REINFORCE
THE STRUCTURE OF THE STEAMER
AND TO SUPPORT MULTIPLE LEVELS
OF STEAMERS INSIDE IT.
THE CRAFTSMAN USES
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES TO ENSURE
THAT EACH JOINT IS PERFECTLY
ALIGNED FOR MAXIMUM STRENGTH.
WORKING ALMOST ENTIRELY BY HAND
WITH SKILLS ACQUIRED OVER TIME,
HE METICULOUSLY CREATES
A STRONG,
YET LIGHTWEIGHT PIECE
OF KITCHEN EQUIPMENT.
THE BASKET STILL NEEDS A BOTTOM
TO REST DUMPLINGS IN.
THE CRAFTSMAN BEGINS BUILDING
THE BASKET FLOOR
BY CUSTOM-FITTING
A SERIES OF RUGGED CROSSPIECES.
HE ENSURES THAT EACH PIECE FITS
PERFECTLY BEFORE PROCEEDING.
THEN, HE INSERTS THIN,
MORE PLIABLE PIECES OF BAMBOO
TO HOLD
THE CROSSPIECES IN PLACE.
NEXT, HE LAYS THE FINAL LAYER
ON TOP,
PLACING THE PIECES
WITH THEIR OUTER SIDES
FACING UP TO FORM
A SMOOTH SURFACE FOR FOOD
TO SIT ON WHILE STEAMING.
WITH THE FLOOR OF THE STEAMER
IN PLACE,
IT'S TIME TO SECURE
THE UPPER PIECES
BY BINDING THEM
TO THE SUPPORT PIECES.
TO DO THIS, HE THREADS
A STAINLESS-STEEL WIRE
THROUGH THE CRACKS,
TWISTING THE ENDS TIGHTLY
TO THE BASE.
THEN, HE GIVES
THE INNER SUPPORT RINGS
UNDER THE STEAMER FLOOR
A FEW TAPS,
SECURING THEM IN PLACE.
THE BASKET'S BASE
IS NOW COMPLETE.
NEXT, THE CRAFTSMAN BEGINS
WEAVING THE BAMBOO PIECES
TOGETHER
THAT WILL FORM THE COVER.
HE USES A TRADITIONAL PATTERN
CALLED A TWILL WEAVE.
THEN, HE INSERTS PAPER BEFORE
ADDING A SECOND LAYER OF BAMBOO.
THE PAPER WILL HELP PREVENT
STEAM FROM ESCAPING
THE BASKET TOO QUICKLY.
HE THEN SNAPS IN A SERIES OF
CAREFULLY SIZED REINFORCEMENTS
TO KEEP THE LAYERS IN PLACE.
FINALLY, HE CUSTOM-FITS
ANOTHER INTERIOR RING
UNDER THE REINFORCEMENTS
TO HOLD EVERYTHING TOGETHER,
TAPPING IT
CAREFULLY INTO POSITION.
THE STEAMER COVER
IS NOW COMPLETE.
♪♪
