Steamed Egg Custard
Silken savoury steamed egg, smooth as tofu, finished with soy.
Ingredients
- 3 Egg
- 300 ml Chicken stock
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 Scallions (optional)
- 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil (optional)
Method
- Beat the eggs with the warm stock and salt, then strain through a fine sieve for a silky, bubble-free texture.
- Cover the bowl with a plate or foil and steam over gentle heat until just set and slightly jiggly in the center, about 12 minutes.
- While the custard steams, thinly slice the scallion and stir together the light soy and sesame oil.
- Spoon the soy-sesame mixture over the steamed custard, scatter with scallion, and serve.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Steamed Egg Custard
Steamed egg custard, known across China as zheng shui dan and echoed in Japan's chawanmushi and Korea's gyeranjjim, is a study in texture: a savory custard so smooth it's often compared to silken tofu, trembling and just barely set. The magic is in the ratio and the handling — eggs are loosened with warm stock rather than water for extra savor, then strained through a fine sieve to remove any stringy bits and air bubbles that would pockmark the surface. Gentle, steady steam is what keeps it glassy; too much heat and it turns spongy and weeps.
Despite feeling delicate and restorative, this is genuinely fast home cooking, ready in about twenty minutes with a handful of ingredients. Once set, it's finished with a drizzle of light soy sauce and toasted sesame oil and a scatter of scallion, which give the mild custard a salty, nutty lift and a fresh bite. It's usually served as a comforting side or part of a shared meal, spooned straight from the bowl over rice, and it's especially kind to anyone who wants something warm, light, and easy on the stomach.
Steamed Egg Custard: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Steamed Egg Custard?
A serving has about 192 calories — 14.3g protein, 7.4g carbs, 11.3g fat, 0.5g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Steamed Egg Custard gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Light soy sauce. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
How long does Steamed Egg Custard take to make?
About 20 minutes start to finish, but only around 8 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Steamed Egg Custard?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out scallions, toasted sesame oil — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Steamed Egg Custard make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.