Silky Steamed Egg Custard
This breakfast is evocative of my childhood. It was something my grandmother made for me when I spent the night at her house.
This is a popular breakfast all over Asia. In China, the steamed egg custard is topped with things like sesame oil and chili crisp. In Japan, it is known as chawanmushi and is typically eaten as a dinner course. The Japanese version is filled with mushrooms, seafood, and topped with fish eggs. Additionally, the Japanese use dashi as the key liquid ingredient rather than a chicken stock. Either way, the method remains the same, steam the custard in a covered bowl or cup to prevent hot water from reaching the surface and serve with your choice of toppings. If you’re more cognizant of salt or sugar intake, leave them out for now! It will still be delicious, I promise.
The key to making this delicious breakfast dish is the steaming set up. You can definitely cook it in a microwave to save on time but steaming it on the stove top is the guaranteed way to get the silkiest texture. Steaming in the microwave introduces moisture to the surface of the custard which causes it to become fluffy and uneven rather than silky and smooth. In order to prevent this, I like to cover my bowls with a sheet of plastic wrap or aluminum foil. There are a couple of ways to make a stove top steaming set up:
Stove Top Steamer: Place the steamer on top of a burner and fill with a few inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then knock it down to medium high heat. Make sure you refill the water levels as it evaporates over time. This is the best set up because the steamer allows the condensation slides down the walls away from the bowls
Wok and Bamboo Steamer: Place the steamer in a wok and fill with a few inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then knock it down to medium high heat. Make sure you refill the water levels as it evaporates over time
Dutch Oven and Steam Rack: Place the Dutch over over a burner fill with a few inches of water. Then, place the steamer rack inside. Be sure not to overfill the Dutch over otherwise the bowls will move around. Bring to a boil over high heat and then knock it down to medium high heat. Make sure you refill the water levels as it evaporates over time
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp MSG
- Chopped chives, for garnish
- Soy sauce, for garnish
- Sesame oil, for garnish
- Chili crisp, for garnish
Special Equipment
- Stove top steamer; wok and a bamboo steamer; or a large wide pot like a Dutch oven and a metal steam rack
Directions
1. Combine the eggs, broth, and seasonings. Whisk together until the mixture becomes homogenous
2. Strain the mixture through the fine mesh strainer into two bowls. Fill the bowls up evenly three quarters of the way up
3. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This will prevent water droplets from hitting the surface of the custard and causing it to become uneven
4. If using a large wide pot, do not cover all the way. Leave the pot open about an inch. Steam on medium high heat for 18-20 minutes. The custard should be slightly jiggly but not fully set. Look for ripples in the custard that start from the center and move outward. There should be no splashing. You can always gently cut a slit into the custard to check before removing from the steamer.
5. Using tongs, remove the custard and let them cool slightly for a few minutes. This will allow them to finish setting. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!