Cantonese Steamed Egg Custard
This Cantonese Style Savoury Steamed Egg Custard is a delicate, silky side dish featuring a smooth custard infused with dried scallops and shrimp. Lightly seasoned and steamed to perfection, this comforting dish highlights classic Cantonese flavors and textures, making it an elegant yet simple accompaniment to any meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus soaking time overnight or 30 minutes for quick soak)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes (including steaming and resting off heat)
- Total Time: 20 minutes (quick soak) to overnight plus 20 minutes (if soaked overnight)
- Yield: 2 servings as a side dish 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: Cantonese
Ingredients
Scale
Egg Custard Base
- 2 large eggs
- About 150ml water (approximately 1.5 times the volume of the eggs)
- Salt to taste
Dried Seafood
- 20g dried scallops
- 20g dried shrimp
Instructions
- Prepare the dried seafood: Give the dried scallops and dried shrimp a quick rinse to remove any surface impurities. Soak them in fresh water overnight in the refrigerator to rehydrate. Alternatively, if short on time, steep them in boiling water for 30 minutes to soften.
- Set up steaming equipment: Place a steaming rack inside a pot or wok filled with water. Arrange a shallow dish on the rack. Gently tease apart the fibers of the soaked dried scallops to help release their flavor, and lay the rehydrated scallops and shrimp evenly on the bottom of the shallow dish.
- Prepare egg mixture: Bring the pot of water to a boil to prepare for steaming. Meanwhile, beat the two eggs together in a mixing bowl. Add the soaking water from the dried shrimp and scallops to the beaten eggs. Add additional fresh water as needed to reach double the volume of the eggs (about 150ml in total). Season with a pinch of salt and stir gently to combine.
- Strain and assemble: Pour the egg mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any clumps or bubbles for a silky texture. Pour the strained egg mixture carefully over the dried seafood in the shallow dish.
- Steam the custard: Cover the dish with a lid or foil to prevent water droplets from falling onto the custard. Place the dish on the steaming rack over the boiling water. Steam on high heat for about 30 seconds, until the mixture just starts to change color to a pale yellow.
- Finish cooking off heat: Immediately turn off the heat keeping the lid on. Leave the custard undisturbed for 10 minutes, allowing the residual steam to finish cooking the egg custard gently, resulting in a smooth and silky texture.
- Serve: Carefully remove the steamed egg custard from the steamer and serve immediately as a warm and savory side dish.
Notes
- Soaking dried scallops and shrimp overnight develops more umami flavor, but the quick steeping method can be used if short on time.
- Straining the egg mixture is key to achieving a silky, smooth custard without bubbles or lumps.
- Keep the lid tightly covered during steaming to prevent water from dripping onto the custard surface.
- Do not over-steam; the custard should be gently set but still silky and soft.
- Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Find it online: https://yumfoodusa.com/cantonese-steamed-egg-custard/