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Northeastern Egg Menzi
Eggs steamed with tofu, minced pork and dried shrimp into a trembling savoury custard, finished with hot oil, soy and chilli. Adapted for a home kitchen from the original ClouChef R&D report — 鸡蛋焖子, report 77.
Original poster image from clouchef.com (poster: 鸡蛋焖子_77.jpeg). This is the hero poster only, not a step-by-step photo set.
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 15 minutesTotal: 25 minutesServings: 1–2Difficulty: EasyRegion: Northeast ChinaFlavour: Delicate, savoury, lightly spicy
Why this works
The report's custard stands or falls on a ratio: one part egg to one and a half parts water. Too much water and it never sets; too little and it turns tough and pocked. Straining out the foam matters for the same reason — foam becomes holes in the finished custard — and covering the bowl keeps condensation from pitting the surface. The fillings are deliberately humble: tofu dice for body, a little minced pork for richness, dried shrimp for a natural seafood savour that replaces MSG in spirit even though the report still adds a pinch. Fifteen minutes over medium heat, timed to within a minute, gives a custard that trembles like pudding; longer and it goes honeycombed. The final pour of 180 °C oil over scallion is not garnish but aroma, released in a single sizzle at the table. Spooned straight from the bowl, the custard should wobble gently and carry pork, tofu and shrimp in every bite.
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Ingredients
| Ingredient | US | Metric | Substitute / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs | 5.3 oz | 150 g | About 3 eggs. |
| Soft tofu | 3.5 oz | 100 g | Cut into 1 cm dice. |
| Minced pork | 1.1 oz | 30 g | Back-leg pork; tossed with a little cooking wine per the report. |
| Dried shrimp | 0.2 oz | 5 g | Soaked in warm water for 5 minutes. |
| Water | 7.9 oz | 225 g | 1.5 times the egg weight — the report's key ratio. |
| Salt | 0.0 oz | 1 g | — |
| MSG | 0.0 oz | 0.5 g | Optional; omit without harm (adaptation). |
| Scallion greens | 0.4 oz | 10 g | For the topping. |
| Chilli oil | 1.0 tbsp | 15 ml | For finishing. |
| Light soy sauce | 1.0 tsp | 5 ml | Poured over after steaming. |
| Cooking oil, for finishing | to taste | to taste | Heated to 180 °C and poured over the scallion; quantity not given in the report (adaptation, labelled). |
| Cooking wine, for pork | to taste | to taste | A little, per the report; quantity not given (adaptation, labelled). |
Equipment
- Heatproof bowl
- Steamer — a pot with a rack; no dedicated steamer required (adaptation)
- Plate or cling film with holes to cover the bowl
- Small pan for heating the finishing oil
Steps
- Prepare. Dice the tofu into 1 cm cubes. Soak the dried shrimp in warm water for 5 minutes. Toss the minced pork with a little cooking wine.
- Mix the egg. Beat the eggs with 225 g water (1.5 times the egg weight) until fine bubbles form, then strain off the foam — this step is essential for a smooth custard.
- Combine. Put the tofu, pork, shrimp, salt, MSG and scallion into the egg mixture and stir gently, without raising bubbles.
- Steam. Cover the bowl with a plate or pierced cling film and steam over medium heat for 15 minutes after the water comes to steam. The centre must reach at least 75 °C / 167 °F so the pork and shrimp cook through.
- Finish. Lift out, pour over 5 ml soy sauce, heat oil to 180 °C and pour it over the scallion to release its fragrance, then drizzle with chilli oil and serve.
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Technique: Technique: ratio, cover, fifteen minutes
The 1:1.5 egg-to-water ratio is the control point, and the report gives it a minute of tolerance either way on steaming time: under-steamed custard stays liquid inside or leaves the pork undercooked; over-steamed custard turns honeycombed. Covering the bowl is what keeps the surface smooth — uncovered, dripping condensation pits it.
Variations
- No pork: the custard still sets and tastes clean; add a few more dried shrimp for savour (adaptation).
- No chilli: leave off the chilli oil for a plain, child-friendly version; the hot-oil scallion still gives aroma.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my custard full of holes?
Either the steaming ran long, the bowl was uncovered so condensation dripped in, or the egg foam was not strained out.
Can I use a microwave?
The report steams. A microwave sets unevenly and is not recommended for this custard (adaptation).
Is the pork cooked through?
Yes if the centre reaches 75 °C — the 15-minute steam is calibrated for 30 g of mince distributed through the custard; check with a thermometer if unsure.
Storage
Best eaten fresh from the steamer. Leftovers keep 1 day refrigerated; reheat gently until steaming hot throughout and do not reheat more than once.
Northeastern Egg Menzi — Recipe Card
Eggs steamed with tofu, minced pork and dried shrimp into a trembling savoury custard, finished with hot oil, soy and chilli. Adapted for a home kitchen from th
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 15 minutesTotal: 25 minutesServings: 1–2
Ingredients: 150 g eggs (about 3); 100 g soft tofu; 30 g minced pork; 5 g dried shrimp; 225 g water; 1 g salt; 0.5 g MSG (optional); 10 g scallion; 15 ml chilli oil; 5 ml soy sauce.
Steps: 1) Dice tofu; soak shrimp 5 minutes; toss pork with wine. 2) Beat eggs with 225 g water; strain foam. 3) Stir in tofu, pork, shrimp, seasonings and scallion gently. 4) Cover bowl; steam on medium heat 15 minutes to at least 75 °C. 5) Pour over soy, sizzle with 180 °C oil over scallion, drizzle chilli oil.
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Source note: ingredients, quantities and steps are adapted from the original ClouChef R&D report for 鸡蛋焖子 (data/reports/77.md). The report's pricing, margin and marketing sections are deliberately omitted here; no B2B cost is presented as a home-cook cost. The report's ingredient cost table is arithmetically wrong — it prices three eggs at a sum far above any plausible unit price — so all cost figures are omitted. Original poster image: clouchef.com (鸡蛋焖子_77.jpeg).