Microwave-Steamed Eggs

By Eric Kim

Published September 27, 2021

  • Kate Sears for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(3,665)
Comments
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The reward for this delightful steamed egg dish, smooth and savory, will seem much too high for the effort. Reminiscent of Chinese zheng shui dan, Japanese chawanmushi and Korean gyeran jjim, this streamlined recipe cooks entirely in the microwave. The key to that perfect, soft-set wibble-wobble texture (think silken tofu) is using your microwave at around 500 watts — or half its power on a 1,000-watt machine. This lower heat lets the eggs and broth steam together gently until they cohere into something ethereal, existing somewhere between liquid and solid. More slurpable than chewable, it tastes fantastic as a light starter or breakfast on its own, or for lunch or dinner alongside steamed rice and other dishes to complete the spread.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 servings

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 cup instant or kombu dashi (see Tip), vegetable or chicken broth, or water

  • Pinch of salt

  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup

  • 1 tablespoon finely snipped chives or scallion greens, for garnish (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

9 grams carbs; 186 milligrams cholesterol; 115 calories; 2 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 5 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 243 milligrams sodium; 8 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium, microwave-safe shallow cereal bowl, whisk together the eggs, dashi and salt until very well combined, at least 30 seconds. Skim off any bubbles with a spoon or pop them by blowing on them.

  2. Step 2

    Cover the bowl with a microwave-safe plate and microwave at 500 watts (on 50 percent power or power level 5 on a 1,000-watt microwave) until the eggs have just set and are no longer liquid in the middle, 5 to 7 minutes. (Every machine differs, so check for doneness at 5 minutes, then in 30-second intervals after that if needed.)

  3. Step 3

    Let sit in the microwave to cool slightly, then carefully remove, uncover and drizzle with the soy sauce and maple syrup, and garnish with the chives, if using. Serve immediately.

Tip

  • To make a quick kombu dashi, add a 4-inch square of dried kelp, such as kombu or dasima, to a liquid measuring cup and fill with just-boiled water. Let steep until the water is fragrant with seaweed, about 10 minutes, then cool until ready to use.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
3,665 user ratings
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Comments

HK

Growing up in Korea, I loved gaeranjjim (steamed eggs) in the morning with breakfast. This is a quick and easy adaptation of the old classic. However, I don't get why you'd need maple syrup in this dishi. The classic does not use any sweeteners and tastes delicious on its own. Instead of maple syrup, I recommend adding a bit of sesame oil, which is usually included in the dash. If you want to make it especially umami, you can also add a bit of saewoojut (Korean-style fermented shrimp sauce).

RoLo

I tried the maple syrup/soy sauce Because I grew up eating the sesame oil version. Eric Kim's recipes are often For Us who grew up eating the same dishes; I don't get why we don't embrace him for this dialogue, instead of the "no, our moms did it this way" auto-response. Anyway the maple syrup is there not just to add sweetness (1/2 teaspoon for 2 eggs isn't much, and is nicely balanced by the soy), but to impart a different (smoky maple vs. roasty sesame) depth. Lovely variation on the classic.

Steven

READ THIS if you're struggling getting the right texture. It took some trial and error for me, but a few things I changed helped get the dish spot on. 1. Adjust amount of water used. I ended up using 3/4 cup instead of 1. 2. Use a wider, shallower bowl. My first attempt I used my "cereal" bowl and eggs did not come out silky. 3. Adjust microwave power. This will depend on your own microwave but my microwave is on a scale of 1 - 10 and 4 was the sweet spot. Hope this helps!

Gail W-H in Ridgefield, WA

Eric Kim, thank you. I’m getting through a health thing and eating is hard. This was actually enticing! I had to keep it simple tonight and still, it’s perfect. I look forward to enjoying this recipe in the future with chives and interesting ideas from the comments. This is a treasure.

A

It's egg drop soup and not stellar.

Ebba

Made w TJ’s Miso-ginger broth, no more salt as broth has plenty, and added some peas as well as chives in top. Delicious. I might add mushrooms next time and/or dried seaweed topping.

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