Last Updated on October 9, 2020 by Simon Fan
Steamed egg custard is a beloved everyday dish in China. The smooth custard is easy to make and incredibly pleasurable and comforting. It’s arguably one of the first dishes that many Chinese learn to cook when they’re young, inevitably becoming an old standby later in life.
It’s also quite versatile, giving you room to customize with your favorite vegetables, mushrooms, meat, or seafood. My spring rendition here mixes blanched and chopped spinach into the beaten eggs. Once steamed together, the spinach speckles the custard with the bright color of spring, creating an attractive look. It also adds a subtle layer of flavor and texture to the delicate custard without overpowering. To make the dish more substantial, I add shrimp during the last few minutes of steaming.
To achieve a perfectly smooth texture in the custard, be sure to mix the beaten eggs with warm stock or water. I also recommend that you steam the egg mixture in a large, shallow bowl to allow the custard to cook quickly and evenly.
By the way, you might also enjoy Steamed egg custard with sweet corn and beef meatballs.
Steamed egg custard with spinach and shrimp
Serves 2
Ingredients
3 oz (85 g) peeled medium or small shrimp, deveined
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 oz (60 g) baby spinach
2 large eggs
¾ cup (180 ml) warm stock or water, around 110°F/43°C
⅛ teaspoon salt
Sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon water
Directions
- Mix the shrimp with the salt and pepper, and let marinate for 15 minutes.
- Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 10 seconds, then drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Squeeze out the water, and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces.
- Beat the eggs until light and frothy and no streaks remain. Mix in the stock, spinach, and salt. Pour the mixture into a shallow heatproof bowl. Steam over high heat until the custard is just set, about 6 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat, and arrange the shrimp on top. Return the bowl to the steamer and steam until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. When the custard is ready, pour the sauce on top and serve.
