Chinese steamed egg, a beloved childhood dish that I thought I would never enjoy again. I had loved it so much as a kid and so did my siblings.
But then, I found a vegan recipe for it on one of my favorite blogs, The Modern Vegetarian. A homey kind of a dish, it’s like a savory egg custard with a silky, smooth texture.
The vegan version uses silken tofu in place of the eggs and a little bit of turmeric for color. Mom sometimes added a pork filling. In my version, I replaced it with tempeh and mushrooms.
Vegan Chinese Vegan Steamed “Egg” with Tempeh
Serves 2
Adapted from The Modern Vegetarian
2 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked and chopped
1/4 cup cooked tempeh (see recipe below)
12 ounces fresh silken tofu
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons egg replacer, mixed with 4 tablespoons water
Optional topping
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 green onion, white and green parts, chopped
In a food processor, combine the tofu, salt, sugar, rice wine, turmeric, egg replacer and blend until smooth and creamy.
Place the mushrooms and tempeh in a heatproof bowl or shallow pan, pour the tofu mixture on top of it. Use a bowl large enough (so that it doesn’t fill all the way to the top) to allow room for the tofu to expand.
Set up a steamer. When the water boils, place the bowl in and steam over medium heat for about 10 minutes. For a firmer texture, let stand 15-30 minutes before serving. It sets up even more overnight.
If using, mix the oil and soy sauce together and drizzle over the top, add the green onions. Serve with rice.
Cooked Tempeh
8 ounce package of tempeh, crumbled
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon oil
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Heat the wok until hot. Add the oil and swirl in the wok to coat. Add the onions and saute over medium heat until translucent. Add the tempeh, water and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Cover and turn down the heat to medium low and simmer until the water is mostly absorbed about 4-5 minutes.
How neat! I have never had steamed egg, but this vegan version looks great!
Wow, this looks wonderful, and what gorgeous photos! I can hardly wait to try it.
Ah ha! Another dish from my childhood — and an eggy one to boot! Eggs were the last thing I gave up before going totally vegan over a decade ago. I’ll be making this one for sure. Thanks!
i’d never had a Chinese steamed egg before, but your vegan version looks absolutely delicious! i’m going to have to try this out – the tempeh and mushroom filling sounds delightful, too!
looks so good!
That is crazy, it totally looks like eggs! Anyways, I have got to try this! It looks great!
wOW!This looks amazing-I love it.I have never had steamed egg pudding but always wanted to!thanks for the recipe :)
Wow, now this is one I never though anyone would be able to successfully veganize! Color me impressed! I’ll have to try it out asap.
What a cool recipe! I can’t wait to try it.
This looks awesome! It’s been years since I’ve had steamed egg, and I remember it being pretty ace. I’m excited about trying this! Cheers.
Just made this for dinner tonight and it was really tasty. I used half black salt and also instead of egg replacer used tapioca starch. Thanks again for the recipe!
This is a must make recipe! Thanks for sharing!
My favorite childhood dish! I had a craving for one when seeing my brother make it but as a vegan, was disgusted with myself and the egg smell in the air. However, I remembered the wonderful texture on my tongue and wished for a vegan version. Thanks, egg fairy! lol