Chinese steamed eggs or water egg is a Chinese home-style dish found all over China. Eggs are beaten to a consistency similar to what would be used for an omelette

Omelette

In cuisine, an omelette or omelet is a dish made from beaten eggs quickly cooked with butter or oil in a frying pan, sometimes folded around a filling such as cheese, vegetables, meat , or some combination of the above...

 and then steamed

Steaming

Steaming is a method of cooking using steam. Steaming is considered a healthy cooking technique and capable of cooking almost all kinds of food.-Method:...

.

Preparation

Water, chicken broth

Broth

Broth is a liquid food preparation, typically consisting of either water or an already flavored stock, in which bones, meat, fish, cereal grains, or vegetables have been simmered. Broth is used as a basis for other edible liquids such as soup, gravy, or sauce. It can be eaten alone or with garnish...

 or soy milk

Soy milk

Soy milk and sometimes referred to as soy drink/beverage is a beverage made from soybeans. A stable emulsion of oil, water, and protein, it is produced by soaking dry soybeans and grinding them with water...

 is used. The purpose of adding the extra liquid is to create a more tender texture and to add extra flavor. Other solid ingredients may be added too. The egg mixture is then poured into a dish, which is then placed in a steamer then steamed

Steaming

Steaming is a method of cooking using steam. Steaming is considered a healthy cooking technique and capable of cooking almost all kinds of food.-Method:...

 until fully cooked. The eggs should be steamed just until firm, so that the texture of the eggs is still smooth and silky. One would also put a plate on top of the bowl containing the egg mixture and leave it on while it is being steamed. Uncapped steamed eggs will usually have water on top of the finished dish due to the steam.

Comparison

The closest Western equivalent food is a savory

Umami

Umami , popularly referred to as savoriness, is one of the five basic tastes together with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.-Etymology:Umami is a loanword from the Japanese meaning "pleasant savory taste". This particular writing was chosen by Professor Kikunae Ikeda from umai "delicious" and mi ...

 custard

Custard

Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on a cooked mixture of milk or cream and egg yolk. Depending on how much egg or thickener is used, custard may vary in consistency from a thin pouring sauce , to a thick pastry cream used to fill éclairs. The most common custards are used as...

.

Variety

Home versions generally have scallion

Scallion

Scallions , are the edible plants of various Allium species, all of which are "onion-like", having hollow green leaves and lacking a fully developed root bulb.-Etymology:The words...

, century egg

Century egg

Century egg or pidan , also known as preserved egg, hundred-year egg, thousand-year egg, thousand-year-old egg, and millennium egg, is a Chinese cuisine ingredient made by preserving duck, chicken or quail eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, lime, and rice hulls for several weeks to several...

, salted duck egg

Salted duck egg

A salted duck egg is a Chinese preserved food product made by soaking duck eggs in brine, or packing each egg in damp, salted charcoal. In Asian supermarkets, these eggs are sometimes sold covered in a thick layer of salted charcoal paste. The eggs may also be sold with the salted paste removed,...

 or dried shrimp

Dried shrimp

Dried shrimp are shrimp that have been sun dried and shrunk to a thumbnail size. They are used in many Asian cuisines, imparting a unique umami taste. A handful of shrimp is generally used for dishes...

. The taste is usually savory (as opposed to a sweet custard). The ingredients are added to the egg mixture before steaming. It can also be enjoyed with soy sauce

Soy sauce

Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...

.

See also

• List of egg dishes
• Chawanmushi
  Chawanmushi
  Chawanmushi is an egg custard dish found in Japan that uses the seeds of ginkgo. Unlike many other custards, it is usually eaten as an appetizer...
  
   - A Japanese variant of the dish
• Gyeran jjim
  Gyeran jjim
  Gyeran jjim is a Korean steamed egg casserole, which is a popular dish in Korea and often eaten as a side dish . The main ingredients include egg and water with optional ingredients such as green onions, red pepper flakes, salted shrimp sauce , pollack roe , salt, pepper, sesame seeds, or other...
  
  - Korean steamed eggs