Steamed Eggs

ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA

This is the Chinese household equivalent of the better-known Japanese chawanmushi, the Japanese version being steamed in pretty little serving-sized cups with all sorts of hidden treasures. The version I grew up with, though, is plainer and is steamed in a shallow dish, usually one large enough for sharing round the dinner table. The test of a good steamed egg lies in the texture. It should be soft and delicate with a smooth surface, kind of like a savoury set custard. Done wrong, it will be rubbery with a pock-marked surface. You can make this as simple or as luxurious as you like. The simplest version is simply made with eggs and stock, or even water; seasoned simply with a drizzle of soy sauce and sizzling hot sesame oil after.

Serves 2

• 2 free-range eggs
• 6 eggshell-halves of water or chicken stock*
• ½ teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
• a dash of white pepper

To serve

• chopped spring onions
• 1 tablespoon groundnut oil
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• light soy sauce, to taste

1. Beat the eggs well with the water or stock, rice wine and white pepper. Strain the mixture through a sieve to get rid of the bubbles, into a shallow (about 2cm high) steamproof dish. Seal the dish with foil.
2. Prepare your steamer, bring the water to the boil, and set the dish of eggs on a rack set over the boiling water. Cover and let steam over a medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until set. If you’re not sure, shake the dish a little; it should be jiggly but firm.
3. To serve, sprinkle spring onions on top of the steamed eggs. Heat the oils until smoking hot, pour over the eggs, then drizzle soy sauce over. The hot oil scalds the spring onions to release their fragrance, and also allows the soy sauce to glide smoothly over the whole dish. Adjust the soy sauce according to taste – you may need less if you used a seasoned stock.

Variations:
Pork and ginger: Add fatty fried minced pork and ginger to the dish before pouring the eggs over. Season the pork and the beaten eggs with a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil first, and skip the final step.

Crab and peas: Add flakes of cooked white crabmeat and frozen peas to the dish before pouring the eggs over. Season the beaten eggs with a dash of fish sauce and sesame oil first, and skip the final step.