Zheng Shuǐ Dàn

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring water in a steamer to a gentle boil and keep it ready over medium heat. Warm the dashi so it is just lukewarm, not hot; hot stock can start cooking the eggs too early and create bubbles.

2. 2

   In a bowl, crack the eggs and beat gently until fully combined without incorporating much air. Stir in the warm dashi, light soy sauce, salt, and white pepper until evenly mixed.

3. 3

   Strain the egg mixture through a fine sieve into 2 heatproof bowls or ramekins. Skim off any surface bubbles with a spoon for a silkier finish, then loosely cover each bowl with foil or a small plate to prevent water droplets from falling onto the custard.

4. 4

   Place the bowls in the steamer and steam over low to medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, until the custard is just set. The center should still wobble slightly when gently shaken; if large bubbles form, the heat is too high.

5. 5

   Turn off the heat and let the custards rest in the covered steamer for 2 minutes to finish setting gently.

6. 6

   Remove the bowls, drizzle each portion with sesame oil and the remaining light soy sauce, then scatter over the sliced scallion. Serve immediately.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •For the smoothest texture, use a liquid-to-egg ratio of about 1.5:1 by volume and always strain the mixture.
• •Keep the steam gentle rather than vigorous; aggressive boiling causes a honeycomb texture instead of a silky custard.
• •You can substitute light chicken stock for dashi if preferred, but dashi gives the cleanest traditional flavor.
• •Serve with plain rice and simply cooked greens for a light low-fat meal.

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