Steamed Egg Custard (臘腸蒸水蛋)

If you ask my mom today, she would probably agree that I was once a very picky eater. And not only I was picky, I was always the last one to finish at the dinner table. I was a fussy kid who didn't like much of anything. And now I blog about food? Who would have thought?! Since I only liked a handful of things at the dinner table growing up, steamed egg custard (蒸水蛋) and I bonded like how American kids fell in love with mac & cheese. A plate of hot steamed egg custard fresh out of the wok with soy sauce pour all over on top. It's a simple comfort home cooking I know many Cantonese and Hong Kongers can relate to. Taking a spoonful out of the soft egg custard immediately creates a dent where soy sauce would rush in and fill the hollow space.

Steamed egg custard is one those dishes that reminds me of home as soon as I put the silky and savory bite in my mouth. While there are a few different versions of steamed egg custard, this is how I like to enjoy mine - with crunchy Chinese sausage bits!

The dish is usually made plain with just eggs and water. It can also be made with with baby shrimp or ground pork, and even sliced preserved eggs (皮蛋) which never looks appetizing. However the custard is made, it's commonly served with a thin layer of soy sauce on top, and garnished with a sprinkle of chopped scallion.

Here's what I did with the Chinese sausage. I chopped it into small chunks then I threw them into a food processor for a few seconds.

You then toss them on a hot pan for a minute or so, and you'll get these crispy sausage bits. A lot like bacon bits that you put on a salad but 1,000 times better!

Next, the eggs. Like I mentioned earlier, steamed egg custard is usually made with just water which is good. What makes creamier and better custard is milk. And low-fat milk would do just fine. After beating the eggs and mixing in with other ingredients, you should either strain it or use a small sieve to remove any outstanding foam or bubbles so the surface of the custard remains smooth when steaming.

Set up your steaming wok or pan on low heat and set the timer for 18 minutes. And note that the higher the heat, the less smooth your custard will turn out. So if it is your first time making steamed egg custard, keep an extra eye on the money and observe the magic of steaming!

It's very common that you'll see little honeycomb-like texture in your steamed egg custard. And you'd see more of it if the heat was on too high while steaming. While some people like their steamed egg custard perfect with no honeycomb-like texture at all, to me, a little bit of it is the imperfection I look forward to when I make steamed egg custard. It's part of what makes it airy and a bit fluffy.

What's your steamed egg custard story? How does your family prepare this classic Cantonese dish at home? Share with us in the comments below!

Steamed Egg Custard (臘腸蒸水蛋)

Prep time: 10 mins  Cook time: 20 mins  Total time: 30 mins

You'll need:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• ¼ salt
• 4 drops sesame oil
• 1 Chinese sausage
• 1 stalk scallion, chopped
• 1 tbsp soy sauce

Approach:

1. Prepare a small skillet over medium heat.
2. Cut Chinese sausage into small chucks, then throw them into a food processor and process for a few seconds, until finely chopped.
3. Add 2 drops of sesame oil into the hot pan, then add chopped sausage. Cook for about 1 minute until it becomes slightly crispy. Then set aside.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 4 eggs, plus 1 cup of milk, salt and 2 drops of sesame oil, until well-combined.
5. Using a small sieve, fish out any outstanding foam on top and on the side.
6. Next, set up your wok with a steaming rack with 1" of standing water. Place an empty dish, that holds at least 2 cups of liquid, in the middle on top of the rack. Carefully pour eggs into the dish. Turn the heat on low, and set the timer for 18 minutes.
7. When it is done, egg custard should be springy to the touch, and a bit jiggly.
8. Let it rest for 1 minute, then top with 1 tbsp of soy sauce, crispy sausage bits, and chopped scallion.
9. Serve hot.

Notes:

For your reference, this is what a steaming rack looks like.

Eggs to milk ratio should be 1:1. 

Chinese Tea Eggs (茶葉蛋)

Tea eggs (茶葉蛋), also known as marbled eggs, is such an iconic Chinese snack that's not only common in mainland China but also in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and pretty much most Chinese communities. Growing up, I would see them being sold in food storefronts, usually next to other street food like gai daan jai (鷄蛋仔 or egg waffles), curry fish balls, fish siu mai, and other fried goodies. Some restaurants in Chinatown would have tea eggs on the menu too, if you're in luck. While tea eggs are sold more commonly by street vendors in mainland China (and often eaten as breakfast), you can also see them sold in 7-elevens and night markets in Taiwan.

The flavor of tea eggs is quite unique built up by some really good spices like cinnamon, star anise, and dried orange peel, along with the infused liquid by soy sauce and tea. It sounds kind of fancy, doesn't it?

^ This is why they're also called "marbled eggs" because of the pattern it creates on the surface of the egg during the cooking process.

Get your liquid and spices going by heating it up in a pot. Bring it to a boil then leave it to simmer.

In another sauce pan, we're pre-boiling the eggs. Put your eggs in and fill water up to 1" over the surface of the eggs. Turn on the heat, add 1 tsp of salt, and let it cook until it's reached the boiling point. Once water starts to boil, turn off the heat, and let the eggs sit in the hot water. Cover with lid, and set your timer for 8 minutes. (A perfect hard-boiled takes 13 minutes, but we're PRE-boiling here.)

Drain them out of the hot water and put them in an ice bath for about 5 minutes (or run them under cold water).

Using the back of a butter knife, crack the egg all around but leave the shell on.

After you're done cracking all the eggs. Turn off the heat on the simmering liquid, place the eggs in the pot with the lid on. Let the eggs marinate overnight (transfer pot to the fridge once it has cooled down completely). When you're ready to serve them the next day, simply reheat (but not boil).

It's possible to leave the eggs to marinate for a shorter amount of time (at least 4 hours). However, eggs will not be as flavorful as they would being marinated overnight.

You can eat tea eggs plain or cut them in halves and serve them with a bowl of noodle soup!

Chinese Tea Eggs (茶葉蛋)

Prep time: 20 mins  Cook time: 4 hours  Total time: 4 hours 20 mins

Serves: 9 eggs

You'll need:

• Pre-boiling:
• 9 eggs
• Fill water up to 1″ above surface of eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• Liquid:
• 6 cups water
• 3 tbsp loose pu-erh tea leaves (普洱茶)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 star anise
• 4 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorn
• A couple pieces of dried orange peel (store-bought or homemade)

Approach:

1. Get your liquid and spices going by heating it up in a pot or sauce pan. Bring it to a boil then leave it to simmer.
2. Pre-boil the eggs in another pot by filling water up to 1″ over the surface of the eggs. Turn on the heat, add 1 tsp of salt, and let it cook until it’s reached the boiling point. Once water starts to boil, turn off the heat, and let the eggs sit in the hot water. Cover with lid, and set your timer for 8 minutes. (A perfect hard-boiled takes 13 minutes, but we’re PRE-boiling here.)
3. Drain them out of the hot water and put them in an ice bath for about 5 minutes (or run them under cold water).
4. Using the back of a butter knife, crack the egg all around but leave the shell on.
5. Turn off the heat on the simmering liquid pot, place the eggs in the pot with the lid on. Let the eggs marinate overnight (transfer pot to the fridge once it has cooled down completely).
6. When you‘re ready to serve them the next day, simply reheat (but not boil).

Notes:

It’s possible to leave the eggs to marinate for a shorter amount of time (at least 4 hours). However, eggs will not be as flavorful as they would being marinated overnight.

Singapore-Style Rice Vermicelli (星洲炒米)

I don't just like this dish, I LOVE this dish. In a way, Singapore-Style Rice Vermicelli (星洲炒米) (Singapore rice noodles or Singapore Mei Fun) is part of the identity of Hong Kong cuisine. It's a dish that every Hong Konger is familiar with growing up along with other east-meets-west fusion fairs that you can find in a Cha Chaan Teng. Now, listen, you can't find this dish in Singapore. It's not that they don't eat stir-fried rice vermicelli there (they DO!), it's just not the same thing with the same taste. So why is Singapore-Style Rice Vermicelli (星洲炒米) called Singapore-style rice vermicelli then?

Well, let me take a step back real quick and mention that an authentic Singapore fried rice vermicelli is actually called fried bee hoon which does not include curry, nor it is spicy. Fried bee hoon can be considered as "street food" because it's served in a lot of cooked food centre or food hawkers in Singapore, and it's fast, cheap, and filling (and often eaten as breakfast). Learn how to make economical fried bee hoon from Whisk and Knife.

So... where did the curry come from in most of the Singapore-style rice vermicelli dishes outside of Singapore? I have not been able to find the true answer but many seem to think that the curried rice vermicelli dish was born in Hong Kong's Cha Chaan Tengs. And because it's cooked with curry and it's very similar to fried bee hoon, "Singapore Noodle" was created.

The kind of rice noodle used in Singapore-style rice vermicelli (星洲炒米) should be very thin so Mei Fun (米粉) is used often. I found the Wai Wai brand to be the best when cooking stir-fry noodles because the soaking time is short, and the texture is just right.

I was soaking three pieces of rice vermicelli but two are actually enough for this recipe. Remember to use warm water. I've cut them into halves so they can all be submerged. Plus, it's easier to stir-fry noodles that have been broken up. To save time, soak the dried noodles while you prep for the other ingredients which takes about 15-20 minutes.

Here I have everything cut up and ready to go! Stir-fry happens quickly so you don't want to get held up while things are already getting cooked in the wok. When I was at the store, I saw these small bell peppers so I used them instead of just a red bell pepper. Here I also have half of an yellow onion, 2 cooked and sliced eggs, some char siu, and some minced garlic and grated ginger. If you like to eat spicy, some hot pepper slices would be good, too.

And what can I say? :) I just can't get enough of Huy Fong's chili garlic sauce! It's just the perfect condiment for this singapore style rice vermicelli!

Singapore-Style Rice Vermicelli (星洲炒米)

Prep time: 15 mins  Cook time: 15 mins  Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 2

You'll need:

• 2 pieces of Wai Wai brand dried rice vermicelli
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 8-10 medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/2 lb char siu, thinly sliced
• 2 eggs, beaten, cooked, and sliced
• 1 cup of red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• a few slices of long hot green peppers
  
  Sauce:
• 5 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp cooking wine
• 2 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp white pepper powder

Approach:

1. Start by soaking the dried rice vermicelli in a large mixing bowl with some warm water while prepping for other ingredients. You may choose to cut them down in halves, in order for them to be fully submerged.
2. Mix the sauce together and set aside.
3. In medium-high heat, drizzle some oil in the pan or wok. Cook the shrimp for about 2 minutes each side then set aside.
4. Drain the rice vermicelli. (For easier stirring while cooking it with all the other ingredients, you may choose to cut the noodle down roughly. I like it this way also because it’s easier to eat, shorter noodles make better “bite sizes”. But that’s just a completely personal taste.)
5. Drizzle some oil in the pan/wok. Cook the garlic and ginger until fragrant, then add all the vegetables. Cook for 3-4 minutes until soften or until onion is transparent in color. Set aside.
6. Drizzle some more oil in the pan/wok. Cook the rice vermicelli until it turns soft, about 3 minutes, then add the vegetable, shrimp, char siu, and eggs. Give it a big stir while adding the sauce. Let it cook for another few minutes until the sauce is all mixed in. Stir frequently.
7. Serve immediately (with some garlic chili sauce on the side).

Notes:

If char siu isn’t available, try ham, bacon, or shredded pork.[br][br]Here’s a tip I picked up when cooking shrimp: straight shrimp are undercooked, shrimp that have just curled into a C-shape are perfectly cooked, and shrimp that have twisted into an O-shape are overcooked.

Breakfast Casserole

Breakfast Casseroles are great. If you're willing to spend 30 minutes to prep before going to bed, then all you have to do is to pop it in the oven when you wake up. I love that it's so hearty, it cures a rumbling belly right away. I also like to think of it as an omelette cake. So yes, have cake for breakfast!

For this breakfast casserole, I used red and green peppers, mushroom, sausage, on a bed of hash brown. Simple and quick to prep. Before assembling the casserole, I had cooked the sausage fully. And I had sauté the mushroom and peppers half way through with some garlic just to bring out the flavor.

Coat a baking dish with a thin layer of olive oil, then lay down some hash brown, and sprinkle some salt and pepper on top.

Put down the cooked sausage.

Then the peppers and mushroom.

Pour in the eggs evenly. (NOW, at this point, you may leave the casserole in the fridge overnight and just pop it in the oven when you wake up in the morning. If not, just continue to the next step!)

Then finally top with some cheddar cheese, and let the oven do the work for 30 minutes.

When it's cooked, sprinkle a pinch of dried thyme on top, and there you go :)

Breakfast Casserole

You'll need:

• 10oz hash brown
• 2 sausages, casing removed and crumbled
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup mushroom, chopped
• 1/2 cup red and green peppers, chopped salt and pepper
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cheddar cheese, shredded a pinch of dried thyme

Approach:

1. Remove casing of the sausages, and roughly break the meat apart.
2. Cook sausage all the way through, about 15 minutes. Break up the meat more if needed with a spatula. Let cool and have the cooked sausage sit on a paper towel to drain the excess fat.
3. Chop mushroom, red and green peppers to smaller pieces. Then mince the garlic. (I love my garlic mincer by Joseph Joseph)
4. Heat a saute pan with some olive oil, drop the garlic until it gets fragrant (just a few minutes) then toss in the veggies, season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes just to bring out the flavor.
5. Now, you can start assembling the casserole.
6. Coat a baking dish with a thin layer of olive oil, then lay down some hash brown, and sprinkle some salt and pepper on top.
7. Put down the cooked sausage and the veggies, then pour in the eggs.
8. **At this point, you can choose to refrigerate overnight.
9. Finally top with some shredded cheddar cheese before putting it in the oven.
10. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Then let cool for 10 minute before serving, and sprinkle a pinch of dried thyme on top.

Kimchi Fried Rice

Total comfort food – Kimchi Fried Rice / Kimchi Bokkeumbap (김치볶음밥). I can just eat kimchi with a big bowl of rice – lunch or dinner – and I'd be perfectly happy. Good kimchi is never hard to find (at least in New York). Unless you are Korean, then your home will always have homemade (and unique) kimchi. I usually get a jar of it from the store and that works for me just fine.

I honestly don't know a whole lot about kimchi. I'm not sure if there's much more to know about other than the fact that it is: fermented napa cabbage, other vegetables, and LOTS of seasonings; can be paired or made with other Korean dishes; a staple to have in a home; something that every Korean mom can make very well; and yes, spicy.

Kimchi fried rice is just too darn easy to make and enjoy. I don't know why I haven't been making it more often. Have you tried kimchi fried rice? or kimchi pancake? or kimchi sushi?

Kimchi Fried Rice

Prep time: 10 mins  Cook time: 12 mins  Total time: 22 mins

You'll need:

• 3 cups of day-old rice
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 3 scallions, chopped, white and green parts separated
• 1 1/2 cups of kimchi, chopped roughly
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 egg
• some shredded nori

Approach:

1. In a large mixing bowl, drizzle olive oil on the rice and stir.
2. Chop scallions, separate the white and the green parts.
3. Chop kimchi roughly, or use a pair of scissors and cut the kimchi in a bowl.
4. In medium heat, fry the egg, sunny side up. Set aside.
5. Pour some olive oil onto the same pan, toss in the white scallion. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
6. Add the kimchi and cook for about 3 minutes, then add the rice. Stir to combine.
7. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, and the green scallion. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
8. Serve with the sunny side-up-egg, and top with some shredded nori.