Chinese
Steamed Egg with Soy (Chinese Custard)
Silky savoury steamed egg — soft, soothing, and almost entirely hands-off.
About this recipe
Steamed Egg with Soy (Chinese Custard) is a chinese lunch for 2 that is a gentle, mostly hands-off simmer. It’s built around egg, and it takes about 18 min total but only ~6 min of hands-on work — the rest is waiting. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 3 egg
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 stalk spring onion
- 2 bowls, cooked rice
Equipment
Method
- 1
Beat eggs with 1.5× their volume of warm water and a pinch of salt; skim the bubbles.
~3 min
- 2
Cover with foil and steam over gently simmeringSimmer.Cook in liquid with gentle bubbling, just below a boil.Glossary → water on low heat 12 min until just set.
~12 min
- 3
Finish with soy, sesame oil and spring onion. Eat with rice.
~1 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Soy sauce
- tamari (gluten-free) or, in a pinch, a mix of Worcestershire sauce and water.
- Sesame oil
- use sparingly — a tiny bit of tahini, or just skip it; it’s a finishing flavour.
- Spring onion
- thinly sliced onion or chives for the finish.
Cook's notes
- Dice the onion before anything heats up so it’s ready when the pan is — a even dice cooks evenly. How to dice an onion →
- Keep the white and green parts separate — whites go in early with the aromatics, greens at the end. How to chop spring onions →
- Rinse the rice until the water runs (mostly) clear for fluffier, less gummy grains. How to wash & cook rice →
- Do your chopping first (mise en place). With everything prepped, the actual cooking here is only about 6 min.
Storage & leftovers
Cooked rice needs care: cool it quickly (within an hour), refrigerate in a covered container, and eat within a day — reheating it until piping hot all the way through. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature.
Frequently asked
How long does Steamed Egg with Soy (Chinese Custard) take to make? +
About 18 min from start to finish, but only roughly 6 min of that is hands-on — the rest is cooking or resting time.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, pot. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Soy sauce → tamari (gluten-free) or, in a pinch, a mix of Worcestershire sauce and water; Sesame oil → use sparingly — a tiny bit of tahini, or just skip it; it’s a finishing flavour; Spring onion → thinly sliced onion or chives for the finish. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Steamed Egg with Soy (Chinese Custard) ahead of time? +
Cooked rice needs care: cool it quickly (within an hour), refrigerate in a covered container, and eat within a day — reheating it until piping hot all the way through. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature.
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