What’s Smooth and Jiggly?

Yesterday, I attempted to cook something new for my family.  It was my first try at making the “Three Emperor Steamed Eggs” dish, something I’d first eaten back in Ipoh when I was a little girl.  It’s called “Sam Wong Tan” in Cantonese, a dish that sounds VERY royal, but is very very simple to cook indeed.

Last weekend, the owner of the organic shop I frequented gave me one century egg and one salted duck egg as a “sample” to try, so I figured I might as well cook this dish.

I consulted my Mom and also checked the internet for tips and tricks to perfect this dish.  The most difficult part was to get the mixture smooth and just the right texture, not too hard and not too soft.  And of course, even more tricky was to get my picky eater of a toddler to eat it.

Anyway, here’s what I used:

• 2 chicken eggs
• 1 century egg
• 1 salted duck egg
• minced pork, marinaded with soy sauce, dash of pepper and some sesame oil

First I whisked the chicken eggs, and then according to the tip I got from Flavor Explosions, I added in hot water to the mixture, while still whisking it.  I then sliced the century egg and arranged it together with the duck egg in the steaming bowl (I used my Corningware dish because I do not have a stainless steel plate).  Next, I poured the minced pork at the base of the dish, followed by the egg mixture on top.

The mixture is then steamed on LOW heat to ensure even steaming.  Before serving, I garnished with fried shallots.

For my first attempt, I would say it is very satisfactory.  The texture was very Japanese-tofu-like, and very smooth.  Most importantly, my *guests* all gave their thumbs up! 🙂

Have you cooked this dish before, and do you have any other tips you’d like to share with me?