I grew up eating Chinese steamed eggs with variations one after another. A good dish of steamed egg to me however does not necessarily need to come with seafoods or any pricey ingredients. I only demand it in smooth texture, appearing more or less like a piece of silken tofu.
I have no secret recipe for making a dish of silky, custard-looking steamed eggs. I simply do it with an appropriate mix of heat and timing. My experience is, both medium and low heat can do more or less the same. Difference is, cooking on a higher heat requires a very precise timing, or the steamed egg will easily be aged and end up with a honeycomb-like texture; yet, a lower heat is more forgiving.
Also on the less stringent side is the amount of water to be added. I usually in favor of a thinner consistency, therefore I have here a higher ratio of water to egg.
The simplest form of steamed eggs in Hong Kong is what we call Steamed Water Eggs (蒸水蛋) because only water is added to the beaten eggs, which is also the one you see here but may be less popular than those using stock nowadays.
- Ingredients
- 2 eggs, bring to room temperature if chilled
- 6 halved egg shells of boiled water
- (water : egg = 1.5 : 1)
- soy sauce to taste
- sesame oil to taste
Method
Beat eggs, add cooled boiled water to egg and mix well. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a steam-proof dish. Or, you may remove the bubbles with a spoon. I’m less skillful in cleaning off the bubbles without discarding some egg juice at the same time. Therefore, using a sieve to me is more efficient.
Set up a rack with water in wok. You may need a higher rack that would suspend the dish above the water surface.
Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Place the dish with beaten eggs on a rack, then top the dish with a flat plate. Cover lid; turn to low heat and steam for 15 minutes (the egg mixture in my dish is about 1.5cm thick). Open and check if the eggs are coagulated by gently shaking the dish. Having a plate-lifter and a towel shall help move the dishes easily.
Top the steamed eggs with a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil (I haven’t included any seasonings in the egg mixture; if you have any, you may not need to add soy sauce). Serve hot.
Enjoy your variations with the additions of green onions, shrimps, scallops, meat …
In case you are new to steaming eggs, I believe a few notes below would also help.
Using halved egg shell for measurement
Doing such eliminates estimations as you don’t need to bother whether the eggs are small or large. Besides, it is also convenient. For every one egg, I measure water in its halved shell three times.
Using boiled water than tap water
I can’t offer a scientific explanation, but using cooled down boiled water helps make the egg custard smoother.
Suspending dish above water
This is to avoid having too much boiling water hitting the base of the dish, thus overheating the egg and creating some sponge-like texture inside. Perhaps in this case, I tend to become a perfectionist.
- Category: Egg .
- 113 comments
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Ive never seen eggs cooked this way before, fascinating!
*kisses* HH
Beautiful steamed eggs. Thanks for sharing all the tips. I remember we ate lots of this when we were young. My grandparents always added minced pork to it….very delicious. It’s quite some time I have not made it. I have to cook it again soon. Thanks for reminder.
I made steamed eggs recently too. And you know what – I do add room temp. boiled water too, as it is more readily available than stock. 😀 ….thanks for sharing those tips. I make it almost the same way as your tips suggested…but I have one question: is there any way to reduce the “sticking” of egg bits to the bowl after eggs are steamed? I always find that little streaks of eggs sticking to the side of the bowl. Does not really bother me other than having to wash and scrape the sides of the bowl quite hard. 😛
I have never made or tried steamed eggs – it’s fascinating! I bookmarked this to try very soon!
@Heavenly Housewife,
One day, hope you will enjoy this. Steamed egg is a healthy way of cooking.
@Mary Moh,
Yes, with minced pork, it will be a wonderful dish to go with rice.
@tigerfish,
I’m so glad you ask. If you take a closer look at my opening photo, you may notice that my steamed eggs also glue to the dish with a dark yellow outline. That is because I moved the dish around for taking photos and the strained eggs were unavoidably being shaked. Taking an analogy, it is like marks on a shore caused between high tide and low tide. But the marks or stains here, though almost unnoticeable, is caused by egg mixture.
After steamed, the stains however formed a thin but visible layer sticking to the dish. That means, if somehow we have transported the dish with eggs, this is hardly avoidable.
Now, doesn’t the solution sound obvious? If we pour in the egg AFTER THE HEAT-PROOF DISH IS PLACED ON THE RACK, this will minimize the stains though not necessarily eliminate all. Besides, it also seems to me that the longer the eggs stay in the dish before steaming, the more they will glue to the dish.
To make scraping easier, I usually fill the emptied dish with water for a while before washing.
Hope this makes sense to you, if not, just let me know.
@5 Star Foodie,
Great! I have too get used to making traditional steamed eggs, and wish to learn new ways of cooking them. Can’t wait to read your recipe.
That is seriously smooth! Thanks for the tip
This is my family’s favourite dish. My dad also liked to measure water with egg shells.
Your tips are very detailed and helpful.
Wow, thanks for sharing the knowledge. I was thinking “greasing” the bowl might help, just like how bakers grease the baking pans before baking :p
Beautiful silken surface and almost reminds me of full moon!! This is a perfect recipe for September as well as moon cakes 🙂
you are my hero! ABsolutely! Thanks for the tip!!
I like steamed egg too. What my mom taught me was to steam it in rice cooker. Once the rice is cooked, put in the egg mixture and let it cook for 10 minutes while the rice is kept warm.
Hi, new to your site.
I like the way you use half egg shells to add water into your egg. I normally use 1 rice bowl for 2 eggs. But like you say, the eggs may be bigger or smaller and you may add in more or less water using a bowl.
Btw, saw you have visited Malaysia, which is where I’m from. The next time you go to Penang, you have to try Kwong Heng Long soya sauce.
(http://mytwogirls.net/?p=2239)
@Little Inbox,
Thank you for sharing your family’s tip.
@zmm,
Noted with much thanks. There are indeed much good spices and edibles to bring back from Penang.
This looks as smooth as silky tofu. I like them simply just with soya sauce.
I love smooth silky steamed egg too. Yours look perfect! Thanks for your tips 🙂
I love 蒸水蛋! Looks silky smooth! Thanks for sharing this!
I am no expert but I thought the amount of water also determines the smoothness of the steamed egg dish.
I love steamed egg with century eggs.
Steamed eggs we have at home is always slightly dry, I am amazed of how silky yours is! I guess that’s because we don’t cover the plate of egg mixture.
Thanks for the tips!
I grew up with soft boiling eggs but now I don’t desire boiling eggs anymore. I guess I had them too much since my parents used to have chicken barn.
But I married to an egg lover, I make hard boiling eggs once a while. I’m thinking I should make your egg style for my better half. Thanks for the tips!
this looks creamy…custardy…eggy goodness. i am new to steamed eggs and don’t have a wok, but i think i could fix something up with things in the kitchen. sounds good for a person with an “iffy tummy” too. thanks for the instructions and great photos
A fun and tasty dish. I had this with crab some years ago and was never able to reporduce it until this year. I use about the same amount of fluid, but substitute warmed chicken broth. Lots of crab meat and some chopped green oinion, both in the mixture and on top when served. Out standing and thanks for sharing the tips as well. They help.
@Jun,
You are right, a cover prevents overheating and aging the surface of coagulating eggs.
@Pepy@IndonesiaEats,
I believe you won’t be bored by this. Apart from steaming it with meats or seafoods, topping the steamed eggs with your preferred pastes could also be a simple treat.
@jules,
I just get used to using a wok, in which there is enough space to accommodate a wide dish. A deep pan or skillet or pot is also feasible as long as it fits your dish and rack. Some rice cookers that comes with a steamer is also good for making this dish.
@Cedarglen,
To confess, I also love having lots of green onions or coriander with steamed eggs. I omit them here just to show the texture of the egg. So glad if this is of help to you.
Excellent post! I love how smooth your steamed egg looks … it is silken!! The notes you provided are really useful. I want to try this soon. 🙂
Your steamed egg does look VERY smooth…!! Thanks for showing us the trick. I am not very good with steaming/baking eggs and the like.
Boiling the water expels much of the dissolved air molecules and chlorination. Less dissolved gas in the water means less bubble formation when the egg proteins coagulate: less chance of forming the spongy texture. Eventually by passive diffusion, the water will redissolve the air it lost when it was boiled. Cheers!
I love steamed water eggs =) I requested it for dinner last week but then my mum found some soft shell crabs and added them in too so it wasn’t exactly how I wanted them- it wa reallt nice though! haha……This looks so smooth and yummy! I think I’ll have to try and make this one day!! I love your idea of using egg shells to measure the water =)
Your steam egg looks perfect! I actually prefer the plain steamed eggs (with water) rather than the stock ones as I guess reminds me of childhood times hehe..your trick with the halved egg shells is neat, I shall try that next time I make steamed egg…I usually just eyeball how much water I need…and you’re right on the low heat, that definitely helps a lot.
@walt,
Thank you, I’m grateful for your sharing of knowledge with us. Cheers!
Looks absolutely drooling!
I will have to try it one of these days…I always had problems with hard stiff steamed eggs!
I read about that trick of using boiled, cooled water in a Chinese cookbook. And darned if it doesn’t work. It definitely helps make for a smooth custard. Happy New Year to you!
@Carolyn Jun and Everyone,
Happy New Year to you too!
I likie steam egg very much, it tasted like jelly . I usually use tag water, and chicken stock as well. thank …
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I’ve followed many so called family secret recipe’s before but have never been successful with creating a silky texture. I am proud to say that for the very first time, I was able to make steamed egg perfectly. Thanks so much! I am excited to try your other recipes soon.
@Yulin,
You are welcome and thanks for your kind feedback. Congrats! Am happy you could also make your perfect steamed eggs with this no-secret recipe.
Welcome to drop by any time.
Just saw yr website this morning & tried yr steamed eggs. Turned out perfect. Just like smooth pudding. Tks a lot. Hope to try more of your recipes.
@Happy Baking, Seremban,
That’s great, glad that yours turned out perfect as well. Welcome to drop by again and enjoy more!
Hi! I love your recipe and is currently using it right now. (Thank you so much for it!) but i was wondering. Can you use this technique to make Dun Dan? Or Steamed Egg Custard? But of course with different ingredients and such.
@Mishu,
Thanks for writing, advising me you love this.
I guess you probably know that the answer is yes and you are here simply to confirm. Just take note that after the sugar is heated and dissolved in milk, you have to cool down the mixture before adding into the egg and sieving them. Correct me if the custard you are referring to is not the dessert made with egg, milk, and sugar.
Enjoy!
Can anyone be kind enough to give me the recipe for Dun Dan? I would love to try it.
Tanking in anticipation
Thank for the information . Last 2 days, i tried steaming egg using rice cooker. The texture is nice. I like it . Thanks for the information.
@Alyssia,
You are welcome, glad to know that you like this. Agree, rice cooker could also be a convenient helper for making this, especially when we get familiar with it. I also like the way my rice cooker help me cook yam rice.
Thanks for the recipe. My mom used to make this when I was little and
my son loves it too. Only problem is I could never get the eggs silky smooth
I’m going to try it now.
WOW YOUR STEAM EGGS LOOKS HEAVENLY BEAUTIFUL. I USE INDUCTION STOVE WITH THE HIGHEST AS 1200 and lowest 300 so for low heat does that mean i use the lowest heat like 300 when i use for slow simmering? my son lovesss this dish n i just seem to make it right.
@bucci,
Thanks!
For daily cooking, I don’t use induction hob (the portable one with me is mainly for hot pot purpose), so am afraid I could not advise you a precise watt to use. With my gas stove, I’ll turn to a level at which the flame would just bring the water to a gentle simmer. And I believe this applies to induction hob too. Hope this helps and hope you will soon enjoy this with your son.
Thanks a lot. I will definitely try it out. Just looking at your steam egg photo makes my mouth water.
Omg!!!!! Success on my 1st attempt wif ur ways.perfecto.d covering wif plate n measurement of water using egg shell,works of genius.thank u for sharing ur knowledge .
Happy New Year Feimao and everyone. I’m delighted to see this semi-old post still getting some attention, far more than the author expected. Steamed eggs with [fill in your choice] remains a true favorite for my table. Eggs, broth, a [fill-in, I oftenuse fresh crab] and chopped scallions – cannot be bettered. Silk on a spoon? Mine are never ‘perfectly perfect’ but they look so when presented and until in the individual bowls. My early mistakes included too much broth, (always too runny) not enough broth, (a bit too dry) and most common, over cooking, (way too firm). When one get’s addicted to t his simple dish, you’ll experiment enough with your own gear and kitchen to get it just right. When you get there, you will know! Sift yellow silk in a bowl! I don’t want to hijack the blogger’s page or original formula and methods, which are just fine. I just keep adding more little things from my own experience – becasue I enjoy this dish soooo much. New tip: When arranging the cooking vessel and cover inside the steamer, be sure to use a cover over the egg mixture that will not condense the steam and casue water to fall onto the eggs. Many ways. I now use a smal ‘tent’ of folded parchment paper over the eggs, usually with no attachment. It allows the steam in to cook the top, but drains any condensation outside the egg vessel. I hope that makes sense. A carefully prepared bowl of Steamed Eggs [with?] is pretty darn easy and almost as close to Heaven as I will ever get. A New Year bruch treat, for sure!
@Feimao,
Smart : )! Thanks for your feedback.
@Cedarglen,
Thanks for writing and sharing.
Happy chinese new year!! ^^ I have a question, i put a layer of meat and then i pour the egg mixture before steaming it in a rice cooker. The meat somehow floated while the egg is cooking. Any suggestions?? My first steamed egg also had a lot of pores too XD
this is a amazing web site! I live in England and soooo glad that I can taste childhood memories when my grandparents are not in the uk for me to ask them how to cook things! Thank You so much!
@Jane,
Happy Chinese New Year of Dragon!
Steamed eggs with pores might be caused by high heat or over cooking. To steam eggs with smooth texture, it is best to use cooled boiled water (also read the last few notes above) and cover them with a plate or a piece of foil. To prevent the ground pork (most if not all) from floating to the top, perhaps you may try to stir the meat in one direction until its stickiness grows and is kind of lumped together in one piece before gently pouring in beaten egg. Ingredients with lighter weight, like spring onions do float to the top after steamed.
Hope this helps and sorry for my delayed reply.
[…] Chinese steamed eggs (made with chicken broth) […]
i am going to try this tonight, i hope it works out perfectly , can’t wait… =)
@cyndy,
Good luck and enjoy : )!
Just made this and it was delicious – thank you! Special thanks for telling me how to get the right amount of water. My Chinese godfather showed me how to make this dish once and all he could say was “you kind of guess how much water is right.” Your method is so much easier to follow! 🙂
@melanie gao ,
You are welcome and thanks for your feedback. Yes, this is a delicious dish and I’m glad you like it too. Probably your godfather is too experience to get down to the details : ).
[…] searching the internet for some guidance, I went with 3 half egg shell full of water/milk per egg. The result was perfect. I had to guess a […]
My father used to do this egg custard, I recall he put dried scallop in and chives. The bottom part probably touched the pan for it was always a bit too cooked. I’ve had it in a restaurant recently, and it reminded me the days he cooked this great dish. I remember I didn’t enjoy the chewiness of the scallop (that mostly fell in the bottom part) but I now miss it.
I lined the bowl I used to steam the eggs with plastic wrap (Saran Wrap or equivalent), to make removal and cleanup totally effortless. In addition, I added melted butter to the eggs before cooking them. You could do that with sesame oil instead, if you prefer. I used a stick blender to whip the eggs and the results were excellent. Many thanks!
While this is a rather old thread, I keep following it becasue the simple dish remains a favorite. @jack’s idea of using plastic wrap is a a great one, but I’ve never had a problem with sticking. I might put a little plastic parchment on to, to prevent a ‘skin,’ but never had a problem with the eggs sticking to the bowl. Others have and I’ve wondered why. My best guesses – and they are only guesses, using too much heat/cooking too fast and/or not thinning the eggs with enough broth or water. (I use chicken broth). When ready to steam, this mixture is much thinner that typical scrambled egg mixture, but I think we all understand that. While butter is almost always a good thing, I don;t think I’d used it here. If tempted to add a little fat, it would be the same splash of sesame oil that I already use. I use it entirely for flavor, not pan lubrication.
So why do I continue to follow this old thread? This may be a dirt-simple recipe, but there is Always room for improvement. It is also one of my all-time favorites and as such, getting it darn close to right and slightly better each time is very important to me! As I’ve noted before, Fresh Dungeness crab meat is my favorite and probably the original version (OK, I catch my own crabs). The basic recipe works just as well with lobster, scallops or even a firm or semi-firm white fish. I have never tried it it with salmon, but that may soon happen. For this simple steamed eggs recipe, I’d never use canned, smoked or preserved seafood. This slurpy soup is all about the gentle flavors of fresh seafood, very gently cooked. Long live thin, soup-like steamed eggs!! -Cg.
I always order chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg) at Japanese restaurants but of course the cost adds up. Searched for the recipe today and I just ate this for dinner and it was absolutely divine. So simple to make. I added sliced brown mushrooms and shrimps for extra nutrition and I really loved it. The texture was perfect and it is filling yet diet friendly. It’s a rare case that a recipe works well for me in the first go so I’m really pleased. Thank you!! 🙂
@Ollie,
Excuse me for being late. You get it, that is one of the reasons why the bottom could be overcooked. You may try using fresh scallops. Just make sure they are patted dry before adding to the beaten egg (and marinade them with a pinch of salt, pepper and cornstarch).
Hope you will again enjoy this dish.
@Jack Etsweiler,
Thanks for sharing. Yes, adding sesame oil is a simple way to add flavors to this savory dish. Using butter sounds creative, it is usually used in our sweet egg custards.
@Cedarglen,
Be your feedbacks on a new or old thread, I welcome both. If I could catch my own crabs, I’d not hesitate to do the same. Thanks for writing again.
@HK Born Indian,
I’m pleased to hear your success on the first go, congrats! Hope this is just the beginning from which you shall explore more of your talents in cooking. By the way, I’d love to share with you my Chawan Mushi too.
Have fun and enjoy!
@THK, thanks. I hate to beat this one dish to death, but (as you may have guessed) it is an all time favorite. I first ate it in ~1973, in Geneva, SW of all places. Yes, there is a story there, best left for another time. I started making it myself in the early 80s and I still tweek a few things once in a while. I almost always serve it as a first course, even when the remainder of the meal is not even remotely Asian. A very few times I’ve had to say, “Shut up and try it…” and I’ve yet to see any remainders. It is that good. Exploring other areas on your blog is great fun and I’ve learned a lot. Many thanks. -CG.
@Cedarglen
You are welcome! And free feel to drop by (or write, if you like) again any time.
from my understanding, tap water contains more dissolved air hence would more likely create bubbles during cooking. There maybe other reasons but i’d believe this to be more significant
@byh is correct, at least in theory. In fact, useing cooled, boiled water *IS* mentioned in a highlited block (Item #2) at them end of the original post, just before the comments. Begin. This is an excellent point and brief boiling will release excess gasses in the water. I’ve always used ordinary tap water (from a spring near my home, not ‘city’ water) and I’ve never noticed frothing or bubble issues in the steamed eggs. Again, @byh IS correct, at least by the standard rules of physical chemistry. In kitchen practice, I don’t think is makes any difference. Of note: if your ‘tap water’ has a lot of chlorine in it, the brieft boil will also dissipate most of that as well, probably far greater annoyance than a few bubbles. Perhaps the best original author’s tip of all, in my opinion) and presented in the same place, is to keep the egg cooking vessel suspended above direct contact with the simmering water. The eggs tend to cook at a far more uniform rate if in contact only with steam. Happy Steamed Eggs to all. As I’ve noted before, this IS a formela and method worth the effort to get ‘just right.’
@byh,
I see, thanks!
@Cedarglen,
Again, thanks!
The main reason tap water contains too much air is the aerator in the faucet (the little screen that breaks the single stream into one with many bubbles). That is why spring water (or tap water that has been allowed to sit or has not run through an aerator) will not cause a problem. Excellent idea for eliminating the bubbles with a sieve.
@GAR,
Thanks for sharing!
Wow thanks for your tips! I managed to cook it with a smooth surface too! The first time i cook i put too much water! This is my 2nd attempt! Great sharing of measuring with the half egg shells! 🙂
@calidarx,
You are welcome! Am happy to hear your success, and thanks for writing to share.
[…] I tried silky steam egg method from this website. […]
Hi,
The first time I tried it I used room warmed eggs and it turned out well. But yesterday I used fridge cooled eggs and I couldn’t get the smooth surface anymore. Could the temperature of the eggs play an important role in the texture of the dish ?
@Suannee Lim,
Sounds possible. Although I haven’t tried the same before and can’t answer you directly, I know frying eggs directly from fridge may easily cause them to stick to the pan.
Appreciate your sharing with us. Thanks!
Hello, I am planning on trying this recipe tonight! If I am using two eggs, should the bowl size ad width matter? I am thinking of using a rice bowl (if it fits the amount) so that I could save space in the steamer. Also, what would happen if i put too little water into the mixture? Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe!
@Chloe,
Thanks! Excuse me if this reply comes after your trying this.
No worries, bowls or dishes of different width are fine as long as they are steam-proof and that they can be placed properly in your steamer. I have also made steamed eggs in bowls like this and this. Generally, flat-bottom dishes steam eggs more evenly.
Unless you are steaming a very thick egg custard (e.g. beyond 3 to 4 cm), you may need to adjust the steaming time. If you put too little water into the mixture, I guess the custard will turn out tougher than smooth.
Hope this help. Have fun trying and enjoy!