No one can top my mother’s steamed eggs. She lived through the period when Taiwan was occupied by the Japanese and her individual cooking style was influenced by it. My siblings and I grew up eating sushi, miso soup, and omurice (omelette rice). We brought rice balls (onigiri) to school picnics. With her steamed eggs recipe, she adopted the traditional Japanese 2:1 water-to-eggs ratio method. Her steamed eggs are silky, tender, and melt in the mouth. The original ratio used in Chinese cooking is 1.5:1, but nowadays it appears that most Taiwanese chefs advocate for the Japanese style.
Other chefs often add shrimp, clams, ground pork, or veggies – but for me, the more basic the recipe, the more sophisticated it is — a piece of fine art at its purest.
If you are in a rush and presentation is not your concern, forgo the strainer and cling wrap steps. Just whisk the egg mixture and put it right in the steamer.
Japanese Steamed Eggs (蒸蛋)
You can use more or less eggs as you please. You can also divide the egg mixture into individual serving cups for steaming. You just need to make sure the broth (or water) and the eggs are in the right ratio, 2 to 1 for a tender style and 1.5 to 1 for a firmer form.
Ingredients
- egg - 2 or 3
- chicken broth - or water, twice volume of the eggs
- Sauce (Optional)
- soy sauce - 1 tablespoon
- water - warm, 1 tablespoon
- Garnish (Optional)
- scallion - 1, finely chopped
Instructions
Video is also provided at the top of this article to demonstrate the steps.
- Crack eggs.
- Add broth or water two times the volume of eggs. Chicken broth usually comes with a level of seasoning. However, if you use water, add 1/8 teaspoon salt or other seasoning to your preference.
- Whisk eggs and liquid vigorously to blend well.
- Filter egg mixture through a mesh strainer into a serving bowl. This step is optional, but it will remove bubbles from the mixture and produce a much delicate texture.
- Cover the bowl with cling wrap to prevent water from dripping onto the eggs during steaming for a smooth surface. If you're short on time, skip this step.
- Pour an inch of water into your steamer, and bring the steamer to a boil with high heat. Place bowl into steamer.
- Turn the heat to medium. Cover and steam for 12 minutes or so. Check for the doneness of the eggs. If the eggs move as one body, it should be ready. If you find parts of the eggs wavering, steam for few more minutes. Each stove is different so timing can vary.
- Remove the bowl from the steamer carefully, and discard the wrap from the bowl.
- Blend 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and a tablespoon of warm water.
- Drizzle a couple of teaspoons of sauce tenderly onto the steamed eggs. Keep the remaining sauce to use when needed.
- Sprinkle with scallions and serve immediately.
