Steamed egg custard with sweet corn and beef meatballs

Last Updated on October 9, 2020 by Simon Fan

When juicy and tender sweet corn is abundant and inexpensive at farmers’ markets during the summer, the smartest thing to do is to savor it as much as you can.

Sweet corn requires very little preparation before you can fully enjoy it. Nothing can be easier than eating it raw on the cob. As a versatile ingredient, it works well in salads, soups, and fritters, as well as in relishes to accompany grilled meat or fish. You can also grill the corn right in the husk.

One of the most beloved corn dishes in Chinese restaurants is egg drop soup with corn kernels and ground beef. Who wouldn’t love such a delicious soup—so smooth, fragrant, comforting, and nourishing?

That dish has inspired me to develop a new recipe using exactly the same main ingredients, with a few twists:

• Instead of making an egg drop soup, I steam the egg and water mixture to make a smooth egg custard.
• I mix half of the plump and milky corn kernels with the egg, so the corn flavor is infused into the custard when steamed. The rest of the kernels are served raw as a garnish on top of the custard. This way, I get to enjoy the favors of both cooked and uncooked corn.
• I use the ground beef to make small meatballs, and steam them in the egg custard. These lovely meatballs are like hidden treasure waiting to be discovered at the dinner table.

Steamed egg custard with sweet corn and beef meatballs

Serves 2

Ingredients

Meatballs
6 oz (170g) ground beef
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon potato starch or cornstarch
½ teaspoon Shaoxing wine
⅛ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
½ teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground white pepper

Egg custard
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
½ teaspoon salt
5 fl. oz (150 ml) water
Freshly ground white pepper

1 ear sweet corn (white, yellow, or bicolor), husked
1 scallion, thinly sliced

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the meatballs. Let marinate for 15 minutes. Check the seasoning by cooking 1 teaspoon of the mixture in a microwave oven, and adjust as needed. Roll the mixture into meatballs about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter.
2. Beat the eggs until smooth in a bowl. Stir in all the other ingredients for the egg custard with a whisk until fully mixed. Strain through a sieve to remove any egg streaks or foam.
3. Cut the corn kernels from the cob, and reserve half of them for garnish. Arrange the meatballs at the bottom of two ramekins. Scatter the remaining kernels around the meatballs, then pour in the egg mixture.
4. Place the ramekins in a steamer. Steam over high heat for 5 minutes, then lower the heat to medium-low and continue steaming until the custard is just set, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Serve hot or at room temperature. Right before serving, garnish with the reserved corn kernels and scallion, and drizzle with the sesame oil.