Growing up, I assumed everyone knew what steamed egg was as it was a staple in my house, but I now realise it’s a novelty for some people. This was the one thing most kids would eat no matter how they fuss and turn their noses at the rest of the dishes on the table. Nutritious and tasty, my mum would make this when she ran out of ideas, or was in need of a gravy-like dish to go with rice.

When I had my own kids, I appreciated this dish even more. One of the easiest things to make, it can also be tricky mastering steamed egg if you are aiming for a silky smooth custard texture. For a smooth, clear surface, sieve the egg mixture to remove air bubbles and impurities, and cover with cling wrap, aluminum foil or a plate so that condensation water doesn’t drip onto the surface to form holes.

As a general rule, the water to egg ratio is 2:1 but if you’re a perfectionist, use a weighing scale since eggs always vary in size anyway. They say warm water (or chicken broth) ensures the mixture is steamed more evenly, especially since our eggs are often kept in the fridge. I confess, my steamed egg is often a hit-and-miss affair as far as the texture is concerned as I never bother to follow all the steps.

It always turns out delicious either way. To make things more interesting, you can add crabstick, fishcake, mushroom or up the game a notch by making it more luxurious with crab, prawn or scallop. Some Chinese restaurants offer “steamed three-colour egg” which is a mix of chicke.