I love eggs - there's just something wholesome about the taste and texture when it's done right. So, here are some things I like to do with eggs - from the simple to the sublime.
The "perfect" Singapore kopi-tiam soft boiled egg
In a small 1/2 quart tall pot, add 4 cups of water, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of white vinegar. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
Put 2 free-range brown eggs in (first warm the eggs to room temperature if you store them in the fridge) *slowly* using a slotted spoon.
Exactly 3 minutes later, take the eggs out with the slotted spoon and put them in a mug. Take the pot off the burner and fill the mug with the water. Leave to stand for about 1 minute. (These times need to be extended if you live in the mountains.)
Crack the eggs into a warmed bowl, a couple of dashes of ground white (not black) pepper and a dash of dark soya sauce. (Dark soya sauce is very different from the usual soya sauce you get at Chinese restaurants. For one, it is far, far less salty. It is also much more viscous, the best are almost as thick as honey.)
A fluffy omelet
Take two free range brown eggs (ducks eggs if you can find them), separate the yolks and the whites.
Using a hand beater, first beat the whites until airy and fluffy. Be careful not to turn them stiff like meringue.
With a hand whisk, whisk the yolks to get air into them with two drops of white truffle oil and a little heavy cream.
Heat a small non-stick fry pan over low-medium heat and melt a some butter. Let it heat a little, but do not brown the butter. Pour the yolks and then the whites into the pan and mix with a wooden spoon until set and fluffy.
Serve on a plate. Sprinkle a small pinch of coarse sel gris on top and eat with a fork. The crunch of salt is surprising and makes the dish unique!
Malaysian Deep Fried Egg
Heat up a wok on high-heat, and fill the bottom with at least 1/2inch (12mm) of peanut oil. I like using peanut oil for the flavour as well as its high smoke point.
Break two eggs into a bowl - be careful you don't break the yolks.
Slide the eggs from the bowl into the hot oil. It will spit and splatter. Using a "wok chang" (an Asian-type turner that has a deep dish) spoon hot oil all over the eggs and the whites will crisp and bubble.
http://www.oxo.com/p-589-nylon-asian-turner.aspx
2 minutes is about right to have the middle of the yolks still a bit runny.
Pick the eggs out of the wok with tongs and serve on a plate with a few dribbles of dark soya sauce and a dash of white pepper.
The Chawamushi
Here's something that tastes sublime, but is easy enough for a 7 year old to do.
Break 3 eggs into a mixing bowl. Using a single bamboo chopstick, stir the eggs until the yolks and whites are integrated. Do not beat or whisk as we do not want any air in the eggs.
For 3 jumbo eggs, you will need 2 cups of dashi stock. You can use powder or pre-made stock, but I like to boil my own using bonito flakes. To the dashi stock, add a tablespoon of takara mirin, a teaspoon of sugar, and a teaspoon of Kikoman soya sauce.
Get 5 Japanese tea cups with lids. Into each cup, put a small sliver of raw chicken, a shelled and de-veined prawn (shrimp), a slice of fresh shiitake mushroom, a piece of crabstick, and two Chinese celery leaves. Before you put the leaves in, roll the leaves between your thumb and forefinger to bruise the leaves for the flavor to come out.
Now here's the trick to get exquisite silkiness:
Using a small sieve or tea strainer, strain the egg/dashi mixture into each tea cup. Do not fill the cup more than 3/4 full.
Steam each cup covered for 11 minutes.
Enjoy!
The "perfect" Singapore kopi-tiam soft boiled egg
In a small 1/2 quart tall pot, add 4 cups of water, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of white vinegar. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
Put 2 free-range brown eggs in (first warm the eggs to room temperature if you store them in the fridge) *slowly* using a slotted spoon.
Exactly 3 minutes later, take the eggs out with the slotted spoon and put them in a mug. Take the pot off the burner and fill the mug with the water. Leave to stand for about 1 minute. (These times need to be extended if you live in the mountains.)
Crack the eggs into a warmed bowl, a couple of dashes of ground white (not black) pepper and a dash of dark soya sauce. (Dark soya sauce is very different from the usual soya sauce you get at Chinese restaurants. For one, it is far, far less salty. It is also much more viscous, the best are almost as thick as honey.)
A fluffy omelet
Take two free range brown eggs (ducks eggs if you can find them), separate the yolks and the whites.
Using a hand beater, first beat the whites until airy and fluffy. Be careful not to turn them stiff like meringue.
With a hand whisk, whisk the yolks to get air into them with two drops of white truffle oil and a little heavy cream.
Heat a small non-stick fry pan over low-medium heat and melt a some butter. Let it heat a little, but do not brown the butter. Pour the yolks and then the whites into the pan and mix with a wooden spoon until set and fluffy.
Serve on a plate. Sprinkle a small pinch of coarse sel gris on top and eat with a fork. The crunch of salt is surprising and makes the dish unique!
Malaysian Deep Fried Egg
Heat up a wok on high-heat, and fill the bottom with at least 1/2inch (12mm) of peanut oil. I like using peanut oil for the flavour as well as its high smoke point.
Break two eggs into a bowl - be careful you don't break the yolks.
Slide the eggs from the bowl into the hot oil. It will spit and splatter. Using a "wok chang" (an Asian-type turner that has a deep dish) spoon hot oil all over the eggs and the whites will crisp and bubble.
http://www.oxo.com/p-589-nylon-asian-turner.aspx
2 minutes is about right to have the middle of the yolks still a bit runny.
Pick the eggs out of the wok with tongs and serve on a plate with a few dribbles of dark soya sauce and a dash of white pepper.
The Chawamushi
Here's something that tastes sublime, but is easy enough for a 7 year old to do.
Break 3 eggs into a mixing bowl. Using a single bamboo chopstick, stir the eggs until the yolks and whites are integrated. Do not beat or whisk as we do not want any air in the eggs.
For 3 jumbo eggs, you will need 2 cups of dashi stock. You can use powder or pre-made stock, but I like to boil my own using bonito flakes. To the dashi stock, add a tablespoon of takara mirin, a teaspoon of sugar, and a teaspoon of Kikoman soya sauce.
Get 5 Japanese tea cups with lids. Into each cup, put a small sliver of raw chicken, a shelled and de-veined prawn (shrimp), a slice of fresh shiitake mushroom, a piece of crabstick, and two Chinese celery leaves. Before you put the leaves in, roll the leaves between your thumb and forefinger to bruise the leaves for the flavor to come out.
Now here's the trick to get exquisite silkiness:
Using a small sieve or tea strainer, strain the egg/dashi mixture into each tea cup. Do not fill the cup more than 3/4 full.
Steam each cup covered for 11 minutes.
Enjoy!
She doesn't want to have anything to do with them unless they are cooked, cooked and then, cooked some more! The thought of runny eggs of any sort makes her run away.
