Steamed egg custard 蒸蛋

Steamed egg custard is a savory dish commonly seen in oriental cuisine. Japaneses cook it in tea cups, so it is also called "tea cup steam" (茶碗蒸). It can be plain, or topped with minced pork, shrimp, clams or fish cake (魚板). I like it just because its texture is similar to jello or tofu. From a modern medicine point-of-view, it is high in protein yet low in calories. It is so tender and silky, but you got to know the golden ratio of water and egg. The more water, the softer the texture. But if there's too much water, the egg won't cook into a custard. The one I use is from my high school English teacher. (Yes, my high school English teacher !!) One day in class, she told us about her secret of making steamed egg custard.

Soft custard:

1 egg (1/4 cup) mixed with 1/2 cup water

Silky custard:

1 egg (1/4 cup) mixed with 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp water

Mix the water and egg well, run it through a strainer to remove the membranes in the eggs. Steam it in a steamer for 10 min or until set. Do not steam for too long.You can test it by sticking a skewer in, if no water coming out, it's done.

Steamed egg custard topped with sakura shrimps

** Baby Approved:
This is a great dish for babies who are trying solids.

• 2 eggs
• 160 mL (5.3 oz) low sodium chicken broth (I use Pacific, which has very low sodium than other leading brand names)
• A few drops of vegetable oil
• Pinch of salt

Mix everything together. Run it through a strainer. Steam for 10 min with a small opening of the lid.