The steamer basket needs to have a flat bottom and either a set of legs that holds it away from the bottom of the pot, or a rim so that it can sit on top of the pot. You can use the same pot-and-steamer basket combo, or you can use a pot-and-glass dish combo instead. The cakes may look a little different from each other when you finish, but they will still taste the same.  The baking times will be the same for both set-ups. If you don't do this, then you'll have to bake the cake in batches. Just like preheating an oven, you need to preheat the pot. Simply cover the pot with a tight fitting lid, turn the heat up to high, and wait 5 minutes.  If you don't do this, it will be like sticking a cake into a cold oven; the cakes won't bake properly and may come out under-baked.  Make sure that the lid fits snugly on the steamer basket or glass dish. You don't want any steam to escape. This will be especially important once you add the cake.

Summary: Get a pot and a steamer basket or glass cooking dish. Set up another double-boiler system if you're using multiple pans. Cover the pot with a lid and heat the water on high for 5 minutes.


Zazen is a form of meditation that's traditionally done in Zen Buddhist temples or monasteries, but you can try it in any quiet location. Try sitting in a room by yourself, or positioning yourself outside (if you don't find the sounds of nature too disruptive). On the floor, ground, or on a cushion, sit in a lotus or half-lotus position, with your knees bent and your feet resting on or near the opposite thighs. Keep your chin tucked in, head tilted down, and your eyes gazing at a point two to three feet in front of you.  It’s important to keep your spine straight but relaxed and your hands folded loosely together over your belly. You can even sit in a chair as long as you keep your spine straight, your hands folded, and your gaze on that point 2 to 3 feet in front of you. During zazen meditation eyes are kept half-closed so that the meditator is not influenced by outside forces but is not completely shutting them out either. Focus on fully expanding your lungs as you breathe in and deflating them as much as possible when you exhale. "Nonthinkingness" is the concept of remaining in the present moment and not dwelling on anything for too long. Try to imagine the world passing you by slowly and acknowledging what's happening without letting it affect your own sense of well-being.  If you're struggling with nonthinkingness, try to focus only on your breathing.  This should help you relax as other thoughts fall away from your mind. “Nonthinkingness” is similar to practicing mindfulness in that you concentrate on breathing and relaxing without a mantra. Some monks practice zazen for extended periods of time, but for yourself, try starting with five- or 10-minute sessions with a goal of building up to 20 or 30 minutes. Set a timer or alarm to alert you when time is up. Don’t feel bad if you have trouble at first. Your mind might wander, you might start thinking of other things, or you might even fall asleep. All of these are normal. Have patience and keep practicing. Eventually you’ll get it. Don't try to snap yourself out of meditation or hop up and get right back to work. Allow yourself to emerge slowly. You can do this by starting to notice outside stimuli (the sound of birds singing, for instance). Bring yourself back into the present moment. Studies on Zazen meditation and the synchronization of breathing and heartbeat have suggested a high correlation between mediation and your cardio-pulmonary health.  Further, these results were observed in patients that have never meditated before.

Summary: Find a quiet setting. Sit in a zazen posture. Keep your eyes half-closed. Breathe deeply and slowly. Practice nonthinkingness. Start with small intervals. Exit your meditation.


You could try saying that you do clumsy stuff sometimes and you accidentally poked your eye which made it all watery. Probably most people have done this at some point or another, so this is something that could very believably have happened to you. Some allergies cause tears and puffy faces or eyes. You could say that you have an allergy that sometimes gives you these symptoms. To make it more believable, try following up with something about how it is for you to live with that allergy. For example, to keep the conversation light, you could say that it is super annoying to have allergies that make you look like a puffer fish. Sometimes when we get sick our eyes water. You could consider saying that you are getting over a cold that sometimes makes your eyes watery. You could try saying that your eyes dry up then tear up and are sensitive to gusts of wind or sudden changes in temperature. Maybe it was some dust or a bug or some eraser residue; whatever you decide to say, first look for something plausible in your environment you could have gotten in your eye and blame your tears on that.  Keep in mind that whatever you do, don't lie and say that you got something dangerous in your eye, like a chemical. If you do this your teacher may rush you to the nurse, which is a waste of everyone's time. You will also cause people to needlessly worry and you may have to come clean about lying, which could get you into trouble. Sometimes we laugh so hard we cry. If you are wanting to hide your tears because you do not want someone to know that you were or are sad, and they weren't around you a minute or two beforehand, you could say that you were laughing about something really funny. Tell them a funny joke that you know or a funny situation that you encountered in the past to make it more convincing. Who knows, by recalling this funny situation, you may even cheer yourself up! Do a fake yawn by opening your mouth wide and breathing in heavily. Rub your eyes together and if someone asks, tell her that you get tears sometimes when you yawn. Whether or not it is actually true, some people think that our eyes water when we don't get enough sleep. If you want to hide your tears from someone who asks about them, tell her that you were up late last night doing homework or something else that you might plausibly have been doing the night before.
Summary: Say you poked your eye. Say you have bad allergies. Say you are fighting off a cold. Say you are sensitive to changes in the air. Say you got something in your eye. Say you were laughing hysterically earlier. Say you tear up when you yawn. Say you are short on sleep.