Korean Steamed Eggs that are elegant and yet so simple to make. The flavor is clean and smooth with no pungent fish sauce required which means it can be a great dish to serve at parties.
Korean steamed eggs are made by steaming eggs in a bain-marie. I know you may be more familiar with the other version where the eggs are cooked in a hot pot directly over a flame which we also call steamed egg or Gyeran jjim. I have previously posted a recipe for that in my Gyeran Jjim in Hot Pot post. Here gyeran jjim is made in a Ttukbaegi (뚝빼기)-Korean clay pot.
But cooking Korean steamed eggs in water bath (bain-marie) is how our moms made it when I was little. Making steamed eggs this way takes a bit more work and time but the good thing is that there is little chance of over cooking or burning the dish than the Gyeran Jjim that’s cooked in a hot pot. Now, technically, I don’t think we should call the version that’s cooked in a hot pot as “steamed eggs” but for some reason people use the same name for both versions.
My personal favorite is Korean steamed eggs with myeongranjeot(명란젓). What is that?? It’s salted, fermented pollock roe. I don’t think you will see this combination in any restaurant or in recipe books because that’s my Dad’s secret recipe. Shh… don’t tell anyone… 😉
Even though my Dad was really busy with work and even though in those days (in the 70’s) Korean men almost never cooked in the kitchen at home (unless there was no wife or mom to cook for them), my Dad cooked some of the best dishes I ever ate in my life. Perhaps it was so because I felt his love through his cooking or perhaps it was because it just made me happy to see him so excited about cooking something delicious for his family or perhaps it was simply just plain delicious… who knows. Probably a combination of all, I am sure. Anyway, whatever the reason, his creations were always just so damn delicious.
My dad didn’t cook a lot of dishes but he had several that he had mastered to perfection. And dad’s myeongran jeot gyeran jjim was one of those. When he could have just as well spent his precious Sunday afternoon relaxing and resting – which now I appreciate even more, having worked full time and also being a parent – but he chose not to..and I am forever grateful for that. And oh, how I wish I could just go to him now and ask him how he made this and how he made that.. but I can’t…because my dad passed when I was only 17. It’s days like this, as I am going through my childhood memories of the wonderful times our family had in our kitchen, I miss him dearly even though it has been over 30 years since…
Right. Back to our Korean Steamed Eggs recipe! The recipe I offer below for Classic Korean steamed eggs that produces a very elegant version of gyeran jjim. Served in individual cups, using shrimp, mushrooms and onions. I know that I mentioned about Dad’s myeongran jeot gyeran jjim all along but I know not many will like that nor is myeongran jeot easy to get – so I will just give you tips at the end.
This recipe for this classic Korean steamed eggs with shrimp produces a texture that is silky smooth and taste that is similar to the Japanese version called Chawamushi. This will be a great appetizer for an elegant party.
Gyeran Jjim (Steamed Eggs) Recipe – without Hot Pot
Servings: 1 Cooking Time: 15 Difficulty: Easy
(See Recipe below for Adjustable Ingredients)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make a water bath by filling pot with water and line the bottom of pot with small dish towel or thick paper towel. This is to stop gyeran jjim bowl from clanking while it boils. Remember to make sure your bowl fits in the pot and you can close the cover.
- Bring water to boil and keep it at simmer while you make the egg mixture.
- In the mean time, chop white onions, mushrooms and shrimp.
chopped shrimp, mushroom and onions for gyeran jjim - Whisk eggs, stock, salt and sugar.
- (OPTIONAL) For silky smooth gyeran jjim, strain egg mixture through a fine mesh sieve. This is what you will see (fyi, this is called chalaza):
straining whisked egg - Mix in chopped onions, mushrooms and shrimp into the strained egg mixture.
- Pour into the cup/bowl and cook in your water bath for 10 – 12 minutes.
Korean Steamed Eggs- steaming in pot - To decorate, add a piece of shrimp on top of the egg, couple minutes before it is done. If you add it too early, it will just sink to the bottom. Garnish with some chive and/or chive flowers and your guests will love it. 🙂
Korean Steamed Eggs Two ways
Korean Steamed Eggs - without Hot Pot
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup anchovy stock (water is ok)
- 1 Tbsp frozen shrimp , chopped + 1 shrimp for garnish
- 1 Tbsp chopped white onions
- 1 Tbsp chopped mushrooms
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt (Trader Joe's)
- 1/4 tsp sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Fill pot with water and line the bottom of pot with small dish towel or thick paper towel. This is to stop gyeran jjim bowl from clanking while it boils. Remember to make sure your bowl fits in the pot and you can close the cover.
- Bring water to boil and keep it at simmer while you make the egg mixture.
- In the mean time, chop white onions, mushrooms and shrimp.
- Whisk eggs, stock, salt and sugar.
- (Optional) - Strain eggs mixture to get rid of white stringy stuff (chalaza) for silky smooth texture.
- Mix in chopped onions, mushrooms and shrimp into the strained egg mixture.
- Pour into cup/bowl and cook in prepared water bath for 10-12 minutes.
- To decorate, add a piece of shrimp on top of the egg, couple minutes before it is done. If you add it too early, it will just sink to the bottom.
Tips & Notes:
Serve hot. Can be also cold from fridge. Reheat using same water bath method.
Nutrition Information:
Notes:
- Serve hot. Can also be served cold from the fridge as long as it doesn’t have any fatty meats in them.
- Store leftover in fridge and reheat by steaming few min.
- To make my Dad’s myeongran jeot gyeran jjim, just add one piece of myeonran jeot (fermented pollock roe) cut into slices and toss with some sesame oil and green onions and add to the egg mixture.
myeongranjeot(명란젓) for gyeran jjim
Enjoy!
JinJoo
Can I use my instant pot steamer
Sure, that should be fine!
Your recipes have completely changed my ability to cook. They are amazing and so much healthier than the store bought sauces. Thank you for the recipes and adding such detail. Every single one I’ve tried has been amazing!!!
Hi Haley,
Oh you are so sweet to say so. I am so happy to hear that my recipes have helped you cook better food for yourself. Thank you so much!!!
I Love this recipe
Thank you so much!
Where did you find your pretty bowls and lids?
Hi Karen,
Oh, I actually bought them from our local Japanese market called Mitsuwa in San Jose, CA. They are Japanese. Don’t have much more info than that..maybe you can find them online somewhere…thanks for asking!! And thank you for following me – I just saw your email. My subscription is not working correctly after my move to the new site. I may have to manually sign you up and send you an email. Will let you know!
Oh, dear, JinJoo, I hate to nitpick – but i don’t think you are using a double boiler. In a double boiler, a pot fits rather snugly inside another pot; water boils in the bottmo pot, just below the surface of the top pot. Nothing is actually steamed, it’s just cooked form below with steam.
You seem to be using a bain marie, or a water bath. In this, whatever you are cooling is set in a dish or pan inside a pan with boiling water all around it. I double checked after I wrote this, and found http://www.finecooking.com/articles/water-bath-vs-double-boiler.aspx. So, I guess I had it right.
Thanks for writing myeongranjeot (명란젓) in Hangul – you just know I’m going to try to find that at the market, right? 😉
Still waiting to hear from mt friend about the restaurant – unfortunately, he seems to be having a fit of sulking. I might see him this weekend and I’ll try to talk to him.
Sometimes when i type in a Hangul transliteration, I right click on it to see what the spell check thinks I am trying to say. I am amused that it thinks myeongranjeot should be grandmother. !!!
Oh, Judy, you are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!! Of course, I KNEW THAT!!! I can only blame it on my aging brain.. :)) Thank you SO much for correcting me. Corrections are already made on my post. No pressure on the restaurant..someone did contact me thought just yesterday asking about cooking classes.. funny…
OMG – myeongranjeot is grandmother?? That’s pretty hilarious…