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These homestyle Chinese steamed eggs give you a new way to enjoy one of the most versatile proteins there is, with their simple flavor and smooth, silky texture that you’ll love. {Gluten-Free}

Chinese Steamed Eggs (鸡蛋羹)

4.80 from 5 votes
These homestyle Chinese steamed eggs give you a new way to enjoy one of the most versatile proteins there is, with their simple flavor and smooth, silky texture that you’ll love. {Gluten-Free}
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: home style
Servings: 1 to 2 servings
Author: Maggie Zhu

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup warm water , or according to the size of your eggs (*Footnote 1)

Garnish

Instructions

  • Prepare the steamer and bring the water to a boil.
  • Break the eggs into a liquid measuring cup and add the salt. Beat the eggs with a fork until they are smooth, but not airy. Check the volume measurement of the beaten eggs, it should be about 1/2 cup.
  • Add the water, just under two times the volume of the egg, just slightly above 3/4 cup (about 1 tablespoon more) in most cases (*Footnote 2). Whisk until the mixture is consistent.
  • Prepare a heat-proof bowl or container that can fit in your steamer. It can be a big wide bowl that’s about 24 oz (700 ml) or two 12-oz (350 ml) ramekins. (*Footnote 3)
  • Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the eggs into the bowl you prepared. If there are any bubbles on the surface, use a spoon to gently scoop them off. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and poke a few small holes in it.
  • Reduce the heat of the steamer to medium-low. Carefully transfer the bowl with the egg into the steamer.
  • Steam for 7 to 12 minutes, until the eggs are just set. After 7 minutes, lightly shimmy the steamer rack or the bowl to judge how set your eggs are. The eggs should jiggle slightly without any obvious liquid on or under the center of the surface. Let it cook longer, if needed, until the eggs are set. (*Footnote 5)
  • After the steaming is done, turn the heat off and transfer the bowl onto a coaster or trivet. Let the eggs rest for 5 minutes. Carefully peel off the plastic wrap. Drizzle with sesame oil and light soy sauce and garnish with green onion.
  • Serve hot as breakfast or as a snack.

Notes

  1. The water temperature should be around 100-110°F (38°C), just a bit above body temperature. The warm water will temper the eggs so it yields a smooth result when steamed.
  2. The water ratio should be just under 2x the volume of the eggs to create the softest result. If you use too much water, the eggs won’t set. If you use too little water, the texture will become a bit harder.
  3. The shape of the bowl affects the cooking time. It’s the best to use a wide heatproof glass bowl. You can use a ceramic bowl as well. The thicker and taller the bowl you use, the longer the cooking time.
  4. The amount of steaming time can vary a lot depending on the size, shape, and material of the container used. Thin metal or plastic will cook faster than ceramic. Shallow, wide dishes will also lead to a faster cook time. If using one container it will likely take longer than if you cook the same number of eggs in two containers.
  5. I used a thick-ish ceramic bowl that is about 6.5” (16 cm) wide and 2.3” (5.8 cm) tall. It took me 9 minutes of cooking time and 5 minutes of resting time to get the perfect texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 92kcal, Carbohydrates: 0.5g, Protein: 6.3g, Fat: 7.2g, Saturated Fat: 1.9g, Cholesterol: 186mg, Sodium: 220mg, Potassium: 71mg, Sugar: 0.4g, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 1mg