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Korea, Asia · Gyeran-jjim (Korean Steamed Eggs)

Silky Shrimp Gyeran-jjim

Eggs loosened with homemade anchovy-kelp stock, strained twice and gently steamed with shrimp into a custard as smooth as pudding.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time30 min
Cooling the stock+ 10 min
DifficultyMedium

Method

  1. Put the water, anchovies and kombu in a 16 cm pot over high heat. When small bubbles appear just before boiling, remove the kombu, turn down to low heat and let it infuse for . Strain through a fine sieve and leave to cool until lukewarm; hot stock would cook the eggs into lumps.

    Add in this stepWater 380 mlDried anchovies for stock (heads and guts removed) 8 gKombu (one 5 × 5 cm piece is about 3 g) 4 g

    high heat→low heat

  2. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them by moving the chopsticks side to side against the bottom of the bowl, so you don't whip in air. Mix in the cooled stock (about twice the volume of the eggs; top up with water if short), the finely chopped salted shrimp and the mat-sul, then strain twice through a fine sieve. Spoon off any foam: no bubbles means a mirror-smooth surface.

    Add in this stepEggs 3Saeujeot (salted fermented shrimp) ¾ tspMat-sul (Korean cooking wine) or mirin 1 tsp

  3. Cut the shrimp into 1 cm pieces and divide them among heatproof bowls of about 300 ml, one per serving. Pour in the egg mixture to 80% full, skim off any new bubbles and cover each bowl with foil or a small plate so condensation doesn't drip in.

    Add in this stepRaw peeled shrimp, deveined 60 g

  4. Pour water into a 22 cm steamer and bring it to a strong steam on high heat, then put in the bowls. Rest a chopstick between the pot and the lid to leave a gap, turn down to low heat and steam for . Fierce steam makes the custard full of holes and rubbery. It is done when the whole surface wobbles together like pudding and a toothpick in the centre brings up clear liquid.

    high heat→low heat

  5. Take out the bowls, remove the foil and top with sliced spring onion and a drop or two of sesame oil. Serve warm, holding the hot bowls with a cloth or gloves.

    Add in this stepSpring onion 8 gToasted sesame oil ½ tsp

Cook's tip

Crab meat or finely chopped shiitake work well instead of shrimp. Short on time? Make the stock with an anchovy stock bag. No steamer: put a folded cloth in the bottom of a pot, add 2 cm of water, set the bowls on it and steam the same way.

Cooking it at camp

Make the stock at home and bring it in a sealed bottle. A large pot with 2 cm of water and a lid works as a steamer. Strong wind makes the flame uneven, so use a windshield and always check doneness with a toothpick.