Name: Gyeran Jjim
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 4 Egg, beaten well; 1 cup Vegetable Stock, warm, not hot; 1 tsp Soy Sauce, for light seasoning; 1 tsp Sesame Oil, for finishing; 2 tbsp Spring Onion Greens, finely sliced; 2 tbsp Carrot, finely chopped; 1 pinch Salt, only if needed after soy sauce; 2 cup Water, for steaming setup

22 mintotal

Prep 10 min · Cook 12 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: None

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Ingredients

4Eggbeaten well
1 cupVegetable Stockwarm, not hot
1 tspSoy Saucefor light seasoning
1 tspSesame Oilfor finishing
2 tbspSpring Onion Greensfinely sliced
2 tbspCarrotfinely chopped
1 pinchSaltonly if needed after soy sauce
2 cupWaterfor steaming setup

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

No inactive time. Steamed egg sets quickly and sinks as it cools, so take it to the table straight from the pot.

Method

Beat the eggs until smooth, then mix in the warm vegetable stock and soy sauce.
Strain the egg mixture if you want a smoother texture.
Stir in the carrot and half of the spring onion greens.
Pour the mixture into a small heatproof bowl or pot that fits inside your steaming setup.
Place the bowl in a covered pot with simmering water around it, making sure water does not enter the egg mixture.
Steam gently until the eggs are puffed and just set in the center.
Finish with sesame oil and the remaining spring onion greens.
Serve immediately while the texture is soft and custardy.

How to tell it's done

The egg should be softly set, slightly puffed, and custardy without large watery pockets.

Getting it right

Tip

Steam gently rather than boiling hard; strong heat can make the egg rubbery and watery.

What to serve it with

Serve as a soft side with rice, soup, or a Korean-style meal plate.

Common mistakes

The egg sets full of holes and weeps water.: Steam it gently — the water around the bowl should barely tremble. Gyeran jjim is a custard, and a hard boil curdles the protein into a spongy, watery mass rather than a silky one.
The texture is coarse.: Strain the beaten egg, as the steps offer. It takes half a minute and it is the difference between a smooth surface and a lumpy one.

Substitutions

Use Chicken Stock instead of Vegetable Stock for a more savory non-vegetarian version.
Skip carrot for a plainer version often served as a simple side dish.
Use water instead of stock for a lighter taste, but season carefully.

Storing and reheating

Meant to be eaten at once, while it is still puffed. It keeps a day in the fridge and can be steamed briefly to warm through, though it sets firmer and loses the wobble. It does not freeze.

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