Thursday, May 19, 2011

Savory Steamed Eggs 烝水蛋


I was first introduced to this version of steamed eggs by my Taiwanese roommate in college.  My mom had made a similar dish at home, but it was much heartier, made with ground pork and with less water.
The Taiwanese and Cantonese style is softer due to higher proportion of water.  My Taiwanese roommate cooked her mixture on the stove because it contained so much water (it doesn't cook the eggs that quickly) and when almost boiling, she turns off the heat and lets it sit till eggs are set.  She also only uses green onions.

The Cantonese version takes it up a notch by adding soaked dried scallops that have been shredded.

Savory Steamed Eggs:
1 dried scallop soaked in 1/2 bowl  hot water overnight and shredded
4 eggs beaten well
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 stalk green onion, diced

Directions:
Mix everything together and pour into a glass or ceramic container.  Cover with plastic wrap.
Steam in covered wok over medium-low heat about 15 min until just set. 
Do not overcook or eggs will curdle.
Do not steam in metal pan as it will conduct heat too quickly and overcook the outside.