Chinese · Authentic-ish Chinese
Steamed Egg Custard
137 kcal a serving, against 250 for the traditional version. That is 113 kcal off, or 45%, with 17.7g of protein. Serves 4. 20 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A rich, wobbly custard made by whisking whole eggs with chicken stock, poured over a layer of fatty pork shoulder and steamed until barely set. The whole dish is finished with a heavy pour of toasted sesame oil, soy sauce and scattered spring onions.
What changed, and what each change costs
150g of fatty pork shoulder for the same weight of raw prawns
Prawns deliver pure lean muscle and cook beautifully in the gentle steam. Pork shoulder renders grease directly into the custard, which tastes brilliant but hits your daily limits hard.
What it costs you. You lose that dark, meaty richness at the bottom of the bowl. Prawns offer a sweeter, much lighter flavour instead.
150g of whole eggs for pure egg whites
Dropping a few yolks removes a massive chunk of fat. The whites provide all the structural support needed to set the hot stock into a firm jelly.
What it costs you. This is a slightly paler, firmer custard. Nobody is going to mistake it for a bright yellow, impossibly rich pudding anymore.
15g of toasted sesame oil down to 5g
Sesame oil is fiercely aromatic. A tiny drop gives you the exact same toasted smell without leaving a thick oil slick floating on the surface.
What it costs you. The top of the custard won't have that classic, luxurious greasy sheen when you drag your spoon through it.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 250 | 137 |
| Protein | 17.2g | 17.7g |
| Fat | 17.7g | 5.1g |
| Saturated fat | 5.2g | 1.3g |
| Carbohydrate | 4.4g | 4.4g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.9g | 12.9g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Chinese prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. crustaceans, eggs, gluten, sesame, soybeans.
The method is in the book
This dish is an absolute triumph of texture. You get the same comforting, slippery mouthful as the traditional version, but without the heavy layer of rendered pork fat sitting in your stomach. The prawns give you something firm to bite into, contrasting perfectly with the silky custard. I miss the rich yellow colour of the extra yolks, but I don't miss the grease. It hits every savoury note you want on a cold evening.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Chinese, along with 55 more. Buy the paperback