Double-boil cordyceps when the broth itself is the point — a clear soup, a delicate tea. Steam it directly when cordyceps sits on or in a solid dish, like chicken or a custard, so the pieces cook alongside the food rather than in a pool of liquid around it.
- Double-boiling is indirect heat around a sealed inner vessel — gentle, even, built for clear broths.
- Direct steaming exposes cordyceps to full steam heat on or in a solid dish, cooking faster and firmer.
- A double-boil generally runs about 40 minutes; direct steaming with cordyceps on a dish is often shorter, timed to the dish itself.
- The TLY EZ Steamer works for both methods — it holds an inner bowl for double-boiling or a plate directly for steaming.
- Choose the method by what you're serving, not by habit: broth-forward dishes double-boil, solid dishes steam directly.
Alina @ TLY
Two Different Jobs
Double-boiling and direct steaming both use moist heat, but they do different work. In a double-boil, cordyceps sits in a sealed inner bowl of liquid, which itself sits in an outer pot of simmering water — the heat reaches the cordyceps gently and indirectly, through the water and the walls of the inner bowl. In direct steaming, cordyceps sits in open steam, on top of or mixed into a dish resting on a rack or plate over boiling water. There's no barrier between the piece and the heat, so it cooks faster and firmer. Neither method is more correct than the other; each suits a different kind of dish.
When to Double-Boil
Reach for a double-boil whenever the liquid is the dish — a clear cordyceps soup, a light broth meant to be sipped, a tea-like infusion. The gentle, indirect heat keeps the broth clear rather than cloudy, and gives the cordyceps time to release its flavour slowly into the liquid without breaking the pieces down. A double-boil typically runs about 40 minutes at a steady simmer in the outer pot. How Long Does Cordyceps Take to Cook? covers timing in more detail if you're working with a larger batch.
When to Steam Directly
Steam directly when cordyceps is going into or onto a solid dish rather than a pool of broth — a few pieces laid over chicken pieces before they go into the steamer, folded into a savoury egg custard, or scattered over ribs. Here the cordyceps cooks in the same steam as the dish around it, picking up moisture from the meat or custard rather than releasing flavour into a separate liquid. Because the heat is direct and unbuffered, timing follows the dish itself — a custard or a cut of chicken thigh typically steams in well under the 40 minutes a double-boil needs, so add the cordyceps at the start rather than partway through.
What Each Does to Texture and Broth
Double-boiled cordyceps holds its shape and gives up flavour slowly, which is exactly what a clear soup wants — a broth that stays pale and clean rather than clouding. Direct steaming firms the piece up faster since there's no surrounding liquid to soften it gradually, which works well when cordyceps is meant to be seen and eaten as a distinct piece on the plate rather than dissolved into a broth. Neither approach changes what the cordyceps itself is — only how it behaves in the specific dish you're building around it.
Where the EZ Steamer Fits
The Ten Lei Yen EZ Steamer works for either method. Fill the outer chamber with water, set a covered bowl inside it for a double-boil, or place a plate directly on the steaming rack when cordyceps is going onto a solid dish. A generic covered pot with a heatproof bowl inside works the same way for double-boiling if that's what you have on hand. Whichever vessel you use, the method — not the appliance — is what determines the result, so match the choice to the dish rather than the other way around.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same pot for both methods?
Yes. A covered pot with a heatproof bowl inside handles a double-boil, and the same pot with a steaming rack or plate handles direct steaming — the difference is whether cordyceps sits in a sealed inner vessel or in open steam.
Is a rice cooker or Instant Pot a substitute for either method?
We don't recommend either. Both methods described here rely on a covered pot with an inner bowl or a steaming rack — a plain double boiler or the TLY EZ Steamer gives consistent results without needing another appliance.
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