You’ve had fried eggs, boiled eggs, poached eggs, and scrambled eggs, but there is one more way that the Chinese love to eat eggs, and that is steamed. His dish is perfect for breakfast, and it was a firm favorite with our grandmother who used to enjoy it after her Tai Chi exercises at 5 a.m.
This recipe is one our grandmother made for our mother, and our mother used to make for us. The dish is made by mixing water and egg together ad steaming it to create a texture similar to silken tofu. The soft texture and saltiness of the chicken and shrimp make it perfect for eating with steamed boiled rice.
METHOD
Beat the eggs in a bowl, add the salt and water, and continue to beat until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture into two ramekins and divide the chicken, shrimp, and scallion between them. Heat a steamer, put in the ramekins, and cover with a lid. If you don’t have a steamer, you can always use a wok filled with hot water. Steam the eggs for 10 minutes over medium heat before checking to see if the egg is set. If it is still wobbly in the center, steam for another 5 minutes.
Once cooked, remove the ramekins from the streamer and drizzle on the soy sauce. Serve with some steamed rice on the side.
- Use tamari rather than soy sauce
- Dairy Free
- Serves 2
- Preparation time 15 minutes
- Cooking time 15 minutes
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup boiled and cooled water
- ¾ cup cooked chicken, cut into thin strips
- 6 raw, peeled large shrimp, cut into thirds
- 1 scallion, finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon light by soy sauce
*Lisa’s tips
Using cooled boiled water rather than from the faucet makes the egg smoother inconsistency.
Use ramekins with sides no higher than 3 inches to ensure that the egg is properly cooked through.
Sweet Mandarin: Classic & Contemporary Chinese
Recipes with Gluten and Dairy-Free Variations
Publisher: Kyle Books
ISBN-10: 1909487074
ISBN-13: 978-1909487079
Article by Helen & Lisa Tse
