Fluffy Korean Steamed Eggs (Gyeran Jjim Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Chinese steamed eggs and Korean steamed eggs? ›

Chinese steamed eggs are cooked in a steamer setup, typically in a shallow dish. Korean steamed eggs are cooked over direct heat, traditionally in an earthenware pot. You don't touch Chinese steamed eggs while they're cooking. You do stir Korean steamed eggs as they cook, until they start to set.

Keep in mind that the amount of liquid you add to this dish can make or break the final result. So if the eggs appear watery even after 5 minutes of cooking, you may have added too much water to your mixture. This recipe calls for ¼ cup of water for 6 eggs, so make sure to use a measuring cup to get a precise amount.

Adding a tablespoon or two of milk, sour cream, heavy whipping cream, or our personal favorite, crème fraîche, to the egg mixture will help the eggs remain moist and fluffy as they cook. If you're unable to add dairy to the eggs, don't worry. You can still achieve fluffy scrambled eggs without milk!

Serve it alongside any traditional Korean main course, such as Korean pan-fried fish (saeng sun jun). You can enjoy it as a quick snack or standalone meal, perhaps with some additional vegetables or protein such as Spam or ham. Plain or seasoned rice also goes well with steamed eggs.

Add 1 inch of water to a large pot. Place steamer insert inside, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add eggs to steamer basket, cover, and continue cooking, 6 minutes for soft-boiled eggs or 12 minutes for hard-boiled.

Adding a small amount of vinegar or salt to the water may help strengthen the egg whites and reduce the chances of cracking. Use about a 2 teaspoon of vinegar or a half teaspoon of salt per two cups of water. Gently pierce the rounded end of the egg with a pin or a needle before boiling.

The longer you cook the egg, the more likely you are to end up with a rubbery white and a green yolk. Why does the yolk turn green? The green-gray color (and the whiff of sulfur smell that often accompanies it) comes from the reaction of iron in the egg yolk and sulfur in the egg white.

Tip #1: Use warm chicken broth or water

Most of us will be using eggs straight from the fridge. Because the eggs will be cold, using warm chicken broth (or water) is key to help bring the eggs to room temperature, which ensures that the eggs steam more evenly and produce a smooth, silky texture.

Chinese Steamed Eggs – a childhood dish that requires only two simple ingredients, eggs, and water. A simple yet delicious savory sauce is drizzled all over the perfectly steamed velvety eggs. Chinese Steamed Eggs are delicate, healthy, delicious, and incredibly easy to make.

Actually the secret in fine restaurants is to do what the French do - add water. The water will steam during the cooking process and add air. I didn't believe it at first, but was shocked at the results when I tried it. Just a about a tablespoon per egg is enough.

Does adding milk to eggs make them fluffy? ›

You can stop if you are in the habit of adding milk or cream while whisking eggs—now. Milk won't make eggs creamier, fluffier, or stretch the dish out. The milk dilutes the eggs' flavor, making them rubbery, colorless, and similar to what you would find at a school cafeteria.

Adding water to eggs essentially steams them, as the water evaporates during cooking, and this yields a fluffier scramble. If you add too much water you can dilute the eggs, and that will result in a bland mess, so stick to a tablespoon per egg and no more.

this deliciously easy recipe is as simple as its name- it literally translates to “steamed egg,” with gyeran meaning “egg” and jjim translating to “steamed.” traditionally served as a side, this super fluffy egg dish also makes a great protein-packed breakfast; think of it as an elevated scrambled egg!

Serving Gyeran Jjim

You need to serve these as soon as they are done so it remains hot and fluffy to eat. Again, be careful because it's super hot! If you want an easy meal, you can pair this with a bowl of rice or multigrain rice and kimchi. This is also perfect as a side dish to ramen or some Korean BBQ.

Koreans believe eggs are a nutritious food, and often enjoy them hard-boiled for breakfast, in lunchboxes or even as a quick snack. In ancient times, eggs were actually hard to come by for regular peasants, and as such were usually reserved for children and head of the family.

Homemade versions might include scallion, century egg, or dried shrimp. These additional ingredients are added to the egg mixture before steaming. It can also be enjoyed with soy sauce. The taste is usually savory (as opposed to a sweet custard).

Sauna eggs are brown because of maillard reaction. During the cooking process, the egg whites turn brown, and it tastes “browned” or roasted/toasty. As you'll see from our experiment below, the longer the eggs are pressure cooked, the darker the brown color, and the stronger the roasted flavors and aroma.

Century eggs (Chinese: 皮蛋; pinyin: pídàn) are very popular in China and Hong Kong alike, but also served in Chinese restaurants around the globe.