Forget the tired old scramble – it’s time to elevate your egg game. Chinese steamed eggs, also known as zhēng shuǐ dàn, are a traditional Chinese dish where eggs are beaten and then steamed to create a smooth, custard-like texture. This dish combines eggs with portabellini mushrooms sautéed in a soy butter sauce. Recipe compliments of the South African Farmers’ Association.
Ingredients
Steamed eggs
- 2 xl free-range eggs
- 250 ml chicken stock warm
- 1 pinch salt
Mushrooms
- 250 g portabellini mushrooms
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
To serve
- freshly ground black pepper
- chives chopped
Method
For the eggs:
- Combine chicken stock and eggs in a mixing bowl.
- Whisk to combine well and season with a pinch of salt.
- Pour into two small shallow bowls.
- Using a spoon, skim off any bubbles.
- Or if you have one, use a blow torch to pop the bubbles on the surface.
- Place a steaming rack or steaming basket in a large pot with a lid.
- Make sure your chosen bowls will fit in the pot.
- Pour a little water into the pot and bring to a simmer.
- Gently place bowls with egg mixture into the steamer and cover immediately.
- Leave the lid ever so slightly cracked for steam to escape.
- Steam until egg mixture is set and jiggly when shaken, 12–15 minutes.
For the mushrooms:
- While the eggs are steaming, prepare the mushrooms.
- Slice the portabellinis and heat the butter and sesame oil in a frying pan.
- Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown.
- Towards the end, pour in the soy sauce and toss to coat well.
- Carefully remove the bowl from the steamer using a dish cloth.
To serve:
- Top steamed eggs with soy butter mushrooms and all the cooking liquid.
- Finish with freshly ground black pepper and a generous sprinkle of chives.
Top tip: You can also prepare the steamed eggs in the microwave for ease and speed. Cover the egg mixture bowl with a microwave-safe plate. Reduce your microwave to 300-400 watts. Microwave for ± 5 minutes until the eggs have just set and are no longer liquid in the middle. Every machine differs quite significantly, so check for doneness at 4 minutes, then in 30-second intervals after that if needed.
