Steamed Egg with Tomato and Mint Salsa
Kai Toon
A chilled savory egg custard topped with a bright, minty tomato salsa
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Heat
- mild
Steamed egg custard is everyday comfort food in Thai homes, usually eaten warm straight from the cup alongside steamed rice. This version flips that habit on its head: the custard is steamed, cooled, then chilled until firm, unmolded onto a plate, and finished with a cold, herby tomato and mint relish. Served this way it turns into something closer to an appetizer or light snack than a main course, and the contrast between the silky, savory egg and the sharp, refreshing salsa is what makes it work.
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken eggs
- 1 cup Chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/2 teaspoon White pepper, finely ground
- 1 teaspoon Light soy sauce
- 1 cup Tomato, diced
- 1 tablespoon Spearmint (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Coriander/cilantro leaves (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Distilled white vinegar
Directions
- Beat the eggs together with the white pepper and soy sauce until well blended and slightly frothy, then whisk in the stock until smooth.
- Divide the mixture evenly among small, round-bottomed, oven-safe bowls. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fully set and firm to the touch.
- While the eggs steam, stir together the diced tomato, mint, cilantro, vinegar, and oil. Refrigerate until cold.
- Let the steamed eggs cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. To serve, run a spatula around the inside edge of each bowl to loosen the custard, then invert onto a small plate.
- Spoon the cold tomato mint salsa over each custard. Garnish with a little extra cilantro or celery top and serve right away.
Notes
Whisking the eggs until slightly frothy before adding the stock helps the custard set silky-smooth rather than rubbery.
Substitutions
Vegetable stock can replace the chicken stock for a vegetarian version. Any soft fresh herb works in place of spearmint if it's hard to find, and cherry tomatoes diced small make a fine substitute for regular tomato.