Chinese Steamed Egg (蒸蛋)
Silky Chinese steamed egg custard made with a 1:2 egg-to-warm-water ratio, strained for a smooth surface, steamed on low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, and topped with soy sauce, sesame oil, and scallions.
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Rest Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 22 minutes mins
Course Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2
Calories 110 kcal
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- Warm water (exactly 2x the volume of beaten eggs, approximately 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp light soy sauce, for topping
- tsp tsp toasted sesame oil, for topping
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- Optional: pinch of white pepper in the egg mixture, chili oil for topping
Beat eggs gently with chopsticks until combined. Do not whisk vigorously.
Measure beaten eggs by volume. Warm exactly twice as much water to 100 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit (mix equal parts boiling and room-temperature water). Add salt to water and stir to dissolve.
Pour warm water into eggs slowly, stirring gently in one direction. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into your steaming bowl. Skim any surface bubbles.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap poked with a few holes, or rest a plate on top.
Bring steamer water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Place bowl in steamer and steam 10 to 12 minutes until surface is set with a slight jiggle in the center.
Remove from steamer and rest 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil, scatter scallions, and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Ratio: 1 part beaten egg to 2 parts warm liquid by volume. This is the most important variable in the recipe.
Warm water only: mix equal parts boiling water and room-temperature water to approximate 50°C.
Broth substitute: replace water with warm low-sodium chicken broth at the same ratio for a richer version.
Low heat: high heat causes honeycomb texture. Reduce to medium-low or low before placing the bowl in the steamer.
Storage: best eaten immediately. Refrigerate up to 2 days. Do not freeze.