Steamed Trio Eggs with Salted Egg and Century Egg

Name: Steamed Trio Eggs with Salted Egg and Century Egg
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 3 eggs, room temperature (3个鸡蛋，室温); 1 salted egg, yolk separated from the white (1个咸蛋，将蛋黄与蛋白分离); 1 or 2 century eggs (1个或2个皮蛋); 300 ml water, room temperature (300毫升水，室温); 3-4 shallots, thinly sliced (3-4粒洋葱，切成薄片); 2-3 tablespoons cooking oil (2-3汤匙食用油); 1 tablespoon shallot oil or a few drops of sesame oil (1汤匙葱头油或几滴芝麻油); 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (1汤匙生抽); 2 sprigs spring onions, diced (2根小葱，切碎)

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Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 22 minutes | Servings: 2-3

Steamed Trio Eggs is a classic Chinese dish I grew up eating. It is made from simple, humble ingredients and yet it is so comforting and satisfying. It uses a combination of three types of egg, salted egg, century egg and ordinary chicken eggs, hence the name trio eggs. It is savoury, with pockets of saltiness from the salted egg yolk and a distinctive flavour from the century egg, while the steamed egg itself stays light and smooth.

My family used to order this dish at the “tai chow”, the kind of Chinese restaurant you find in a non-airconditioned coffeeshop or shoplot. It is one of those simple dishes that costs little yet is so delicious.

Watch How to Make It

Here is the short version:

Equipment

Bamboo Steamer — Amazon, Steamer Pot or Steam Rack with a Wok/Deep Pan.

What Is Century Egg?

Century egg is a duck or chicken egg preserved in mixture of clay, ash, salt, quicklime, and rice hulls until the egg white turns into a dark amber jelly and the yolk becomes soft, dark green and creamy. It is not aged for a hundred years despite the name, and it comes ready to eat straight from the shell. The flavour is savoury and slightly ammoniac, closer to a strong aged cheese than to a fresh egg. You will find it at most Asian grocers and wet markets, usually sold in packs of four or six. If you are in Malaysia, it is also sold in supermarkets.

What Is Salted Egg?

Salted egg is a duck egg cured in brine or salted charcoal paste. The white turns very salty, while the yolk firms up into a solid orange centre.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Serves 2-3

3 eggs, room temperature (3个鸡蛋，室温)
1 salted egg, yolk separated from the white (1个咸蛋，将蛋黄与蛋白分离)
1 or 2 century eggs (1个或2个皮蛋)
300 ml water, room temperature (300毫升水，室温)

Shallot Oil (葱头油)

3-4 shallots, thinly sliced (3-4粒洋葱，切成薄片)
2-3 tablespoons cooking oil (2-3汤匙食用油)

Seasoning (调料)

1 tablespoon shallot oil or a few drops of sesame oil (1汤匙葱头油或几滴芝麻油) (buy from Shopee, Lazada and Amazon)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce (1汤匙生抽) (buy from Shopee, Lazada and Amazon)

Garnish (装饰)

2 sprigs spring onions, diced (2根小葱，切碎)

How to Make Steamed Trio Eggs

Step 1 — Prep the salted egg and century egg

Wash the salted egg and century egg clean, then set them aside. Crack the salted egg and separate the yolk from the white, keeping both. Remove the shell from the century egg.

Step 2 — Mix the egg base

In a bowl, mix the three eggs with the salted egg white, then mix in 300 ml of room temperature water.

Tip: Use a fork or a pair of chopsticks to mix, not a whisk. A whisk beats in a lot of air and the bubbles will set into the surface as it steams.

Step 3 — Add the century egg and salted egg yolk

Pour the mixture into a plate for steaming. Cut the century egg into small chunks and place them into the egg mixture, then cut the salted egg yolk into small chunks and add those as well. Skim off any bubbles sitting on the surface before it goes into the steamer.

Step 4 — Steam on low heat

Once the water is boiling, steam on low heat for 12 to 15 minutes.

Tip: Low heat is what gives you a silky smooth surface. On high heat the egg cooks too fast and sets pitted and uneven. Leave a small gap at the lid as well, so the heat spreads more evenly.

Step 5 — Make the shallot oil

While the eggs are steaming, make the shallot oil. Saute the sliced shallots in the cooking oil over medium heat until they turn slightly golden brown, then transfer them to a bowl straight away.

Tip: Move the shallots off the heat as soon as they colour. They carry on cooking in the hot oil, and overcooked shallots turn bitter.

Step 6 — Season and serve

Once the eggs are steamed, season with a tablespoon of shallot oil or a few drops of sesame oil, then add one tablespoon of light soy sauce. Garnish with the diced spring onions and serve warm.

steamed trio eggs with salted egg and century egg

Tips for the Best Steamed Trio Eggs

Mix with a fork or chopsticks, never a whisk. A whisk creates a lot of bubbles, and those bubbles set into the surface of the steamed egg.
Remove any bubbles before steaming. Skim the surface just before the plate goes in, so the top sets smooth.
Steam on low heat. High heat is the main reason a steamed egg comes out pitted instead of smooth.
Leave a gap at the lid. A small gap lets the heat distribute more evenly and stops condensation dripping onto the surface.
Use room temperature eggs and water. If you use cold eggs, you need to adjust the steam time.
Do not overcook the shallots. Take them off the heat as soon as they are lightly golden, or they will taste bitter.

What to Serve with Steamed Trio Eggs

This is a dish to eat with plain white rice, and the seasoned egg is soft enough to spoon straight over it. It works well as part of a shared meal with a stir fried vegetable and one more savoury dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my steamed egg watery and not set?

It usually means there was too much water for the number of eggs, or it was not steamed long enough. Stick to 300 ml of water for 3 eggs plus 1 salted egg white, and give it the full 12 to 15 minutes.

What is the egg to water ratio for Chinese steamed egg?

Roughly 1 part egg to 1.5 parts water by volume. In this recipe that works out to 300 ml of water for 3 eggs and 1 salted egg white.

Why is the surface of my steamed egg not smooth?

Almost always the heat is too high. Steam on low heat and leave a small gap at the lid. Mixing with a fork instead of a whisk and skimming off surface bubbles before steaming also help.

Is century egg already cooked?

Yes. Century egg is cured, not raw, and it can be eaten straight from the shell. It goes into this dish to warm through and flavour the steamed egg around it.

Can I make steamed trio eggs without a steamer?

Yes. Set a small rack or an upturned heatproof bowl inside a wok or deep pot, add water below the rack, place the plate on top and cover. Keep the heat low, the same as you would with a steamer.

How do I store leftover steamed trio eggs?

Best eaten on the same day.

Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out! Don’t forget to tag @ruyiasianrecipes if you share it on social media.

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