Chinese Steamed Eggs 蒸水蛋
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Easy and foolproof recipe to make this silky smooth and soft Chinese steamed egg dish aka 蒸水蛋 in Chinese, which only requires only 3 ingredients and 20 minutes!
Eggs are one of the most basic yet versatile ingredients you’ll ever find.
Additionally, they are still accessible and relatively cheap, making them one of my top ingredients during the COVID lockdown!
In the next few posts, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite egg recipes ranging from appetizer to desserts. If you are looking for easy and delicious egg dishes (you know you are), please make sure you subscribe to my blog so you don’t miss any of the new recipes.
To kick off this egg feast, I’d like to start with one of my all-time favorite: Chinese steamed eggs aka 蒸水蛋 or simply 蒸蛋 in Chinese.
For the uninitiated, Chinese steamed eggs are one of the most basic home-style egg appetizer dishes made of eggs, water/broth plus some seasoning toppings.
By steaming the egg and water mixture, eggs are transformed into this soft and silky custard goodness that literally melts in your mouth and warms your heart – it’s truly a comfort food in Chinese culture.
This dish has many variations and exists in different cultures. You might also come across the Japanese version which is called Chawanmushi or the Korean version known as Gyeranjjim. But at the end of the day, they all share the same basic ingredients and cooking method.
The Chinese steamed egg recipe I am sharing today is rather basic but also 100% foolproof. If you follow the exact steps laid out in the recipe, I guarantee you’ll get that smooth, soft, silky texture at your first try!
Before we jump to the recipe, here are a few helpful tips to help you succeed in making the perfect steamed egg dish:
- The key to the texture of the egg custard is the water volume to egg volume ratio. For denser texture, use less water but no less than 1:1 ratio between water and egg. For lighter and smoother texture, use more water but no more than 2:1 between water and egg.
- Use warm water to mix with eggs. The perfect temperature is just a tad warmer than lukewarm.
- When steaming the egg mixture, keep the heat low after 3 minutes. Too much steam will make your egg custard less smooth.
- Once you master this basic recipe, feel free to be creative with the seasonings. Chili oil, shrimp, meat sauce are a few of my favorites.
Eeasy Chinese Steamed Eggs
Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 20
Ingredients:
Egg Custard:
- 3 large eggs
- 2cup/300ml water (adjust water to egg ratio based on the volume of egg - see step 3)
Toppings:
- 1tbsp soy sauce
- 1tsp sesame oil
- chopped scallions (optional)
- chili oil (optional)
Directions:
Transfer the egg into a large bowl and beat until egg yolk and egg white are well incorporated.
Measure out warm water that's equivalent to 1.5x of egg volume from step 1 and transfer to the bowl and beat until the mixture is clear of any visible lumps.
Transfer the egg mixture to another bowl through a file mesh strainer. 
The mixture should largely free of small bubbles. Filter one more time if there are too many bubbles. Completely cover the bowl with a plate or food wrap.
Bring steamer to a boil, place the covered egg mixture in the steamer and let steam over medium heat for 5 minutes. Lower the heat to low and let steam for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep the lid on for another 1 minute.
Remove the cover and move the steamed egg out of the steamer. Add the toppings and serve it hot.
- The key to the texture of the egg custard is the water volume to egg volume ratio. For denser texture, use less water but no less than 1:1 ratio between water and egg. For lighter and smoother texture, use more water but no more than 2:1 between water and egg.
- Use warm water to mix with eggs. The perfect temperature is just a tad warmer than lukewarm.
- When steaming the egg mixture, keep the heat low after 3 minutes. Too much steam will make your egg custard less smooth.
- Once you master this basic recipe, feel free to be creative with the seasonings. Chili oil, shrimp, meat sauce are a few of my favorites.
What are your favorite egg recipes? Leave a common to let me know.
