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steam egg recipe
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Steamed Trio Eggs with Salted Egg and Century Egg

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Servings: 3 servings

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)

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)
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (1汤匙生抽)

Garnish (装饰)

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

Instructions

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.

Video

Notes

  • 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.