I’m always amazed at what a humble egg can turn into. It helps create the lush texture of lemon curd and homemade mayonnaise, and sets the filling in custard-based desserts like pumpkin pie. But one often-overlooked way to prepare eggs is to mix them with liquid and gently steam them. In Japan, chawanmushi is a savory steamed custard made this way. But one of my favorite comfort foods is Chinese steamed eggs.
My mom and grandmother turned to steamed eggs when they needed a quick and easy dish to round out dinner. Just a simple mixture of broth and eggs would cook into the most amazing texture: barely set with a slight wobble, delicate, and silky-smooth. When it was scooped over rice, it was absolutely heaven. Here’s how to make them in your kitchen.
Why you’ll love my Chinese steamed eggs
- The texture is unreal. These steamed eggs cook up into a perfectly silky-smooth, savory custard.
- It’s so quick and easy. You only need three ingredients and about 20 minutes (and most of that is hands-off cook time) before these Chinese steamed eggs are ready to eat.
Key ingredients in Chinese steamed eggs
- Eggs: You’ll need four large eggs for this recipe. Size does matter here, as this recipe was developed with a specific egg to broth ratio, and smaller or larger eggs will throw the ratio off.
- Broth: I like to use low-sodium chicken broth here, but vegetable broth will also work. Water, although not as flavorful, can also be used (just bump up the salt to 1/2 teaspoon).
- Soy sauce: A drizzle of soy sauce right before serving gives the steamed eggs a boost of savory flavor.
Helpful tips
- This recipe is all about ratios, so just remember that for every one large egg, you’ll need 1/2 cup of broth.
- Starting with warm broth ensures that the custard is about room temperature after it gets mixed with the eggs before steaming, which will steam more evenly.
- If you’re using a metal cake pan, it conducts heat differently than a ceramic or glass pie plate. I prefer a technique I learned from The Woks of Life: Steam at a full boil for the first 3 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the steamed eggs finish cooking off the heat for 15 minutes.
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Chinese Steamed Eggs
Serves 4
Note: Warm water can be substituted for the broth; increase the amount of kosher salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
4 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups warm low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (100 F to 110 F)
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional)
Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish (optional)
1. Prepare a steamer (preferably around 12 inches wide) for steaming and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Meanwhile, whisk four large eggs and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt together in a medium bowl until broken up. Whisk in 2 cups warm low-sodium chicken broth until very well-combined and no streaks of egg remain. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer set over a glass or ceramic deep-dish pie plate, or 8-inch round cake pan; discard the contents of the strainer.
3. Option 1: Pie plate. Place the pie plate in the steamer. Reduce the heat so the water is gently simmering. Cover and steam for 8 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let sit covered in the steamer until the eggs are just set, about 5 minutes more. Option 2: Cake pan. Place the cake pan in the steamer. Cover and steam over high heat for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let sit covered in the steamer until the eggs are just set, about 15 minutes more.
4. Very gently drizzle with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil if using. Tilt the pie plate so the sauce coats the top. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions if using. Use a large spoon to serve.
(Christine Gallary is a senior recipe editor for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to [email protected].)