The single-bowl meal I make when I cannot be bothered is this one – microwave egg tofu custard, and this home cook’s version opens with a trick: snip the box corners and the silken tofu slides out whole. A home cook wrote it in nine steps and admits you can skip the plating entirely – just scoop from the box. I made it as written, and it is the silky, savory bowl that is done in five minutes.

Ji dan dou fu geng (鸡蛋豆腐羹) is microwave egg tofu custard – silken tofu in a bowl under two beaten eggs, seasoned with white pepper and soy, microwaved with cooked broccoli until the egg is just set.

What Is Microwave Egg Tofu Custard?

This is the fastest of the egg-and-tofu bowls: a box of silken tofu is snipped at the corners so air lets it release whole, then half is sliced thin over a bowl – or scooped straight from the box, the recipe says, when you are not plating for company. Two beaten eggs pour over the top, white pepper and two or three big spoons of light soy scatter on the surface, and cooked broccoli is tucked in before the bowl is covered and microwaved at medium-high three to four minutes until the egg is fully set.

For the steamer version of the same silken-and-egg bowl, my steamed tofu with egg and shrimp trades the microwave for the wok steamer.

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Steamed Tofu with Egg and Shrimp (Xiaren Doufu Zheng Shuidan)

A silky, savory masterpiece combining tender egg custard, soft tofu, and juicy shrimp. This healthy 15-minute meal is perfect for light dinners.

Check out this recipe

Why This Recipe Works

• The corner-snip trick. Silken tofu released whole – the recipe’s opening move.
• Skip the plating. The recipe’s own permission to scoop from the box.
• Soy and white pepper on top. Seasoned before it steams.
• Broccoli cooked first. Ready the night before, if you like.
• Three to four minutes. Until the egg is fully set.

Equipment Needed

• A microwave-safe bowl
• Plastic wrap
• A microwave

Ingredients

• 1 box of silken (inner-bean) tofu
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 2-3 tbsp light soy
• A few florets of broccoli, cooked

Ingredient Notes

Silken tofu: The boxed block – snipped at the corners to release whole. My types of tofu explained sorts the boxes. The eggs: Beaten over the tofu, seasoned before steaming. Broccoli: Cooked first – the night before is fine.

Prep & Mise en Place

Snip the tofu box; slice the tofu; beat the eggs; have the broccoli cooked.

Cooking Process

Step 1 – Troubled by silken tofu that never comes out whole? (Th

Troubled by silken tofu that never comes out whole? (This bowl needs no plating – you can skip to step 6.)

Step 2 – Snip a small hole in each corner of the box

Snip a small hole in each corner of the box.

Step 3 – The tofu should release on its own now – if it doesn’t,

The tofu should release on its own now – if it doesn’t, blow into a corner and it will slide out clean.

Step 4 – Turn it over, peel off the seal, and ease it out onto t

Turn it over, peel off the seal, and ease it out onto the plate.

Step 5 – For one serving, slice half the tofu thin

For one serving, slice half the tofu thin.

Step 6 – Lay the tofu in the bottom of the bowl – for everyday e

Lay the tofu in the bottom of the bowl – for everyday eating, just scoop it from the box with a spoon.

Step 7 – Pour two beaten eggs over the top

Pour two beaten eggs over the top.

Step 8 – Scatter a small spoon of white pepper and 2-3 big spoon

Scatter a small spoon of white pepper and 2-3 big spoons of light soy evenly over the surface, then add the cooked broccoli (blanch it first – or the night before and keep it chilled).

Step 9 – Cover with plastic wrap and microwave at medium-high 3-

Cover with plastic wrap and microwave at medium-high 3-4 minutes, until the egg is fully set – shockingly silky.

Common Mistakes When Making This Dish

1. Exploded egg in the microwave. Cause: no cover. Fix: the plastic wrap. 2. A watery, weeping bowl. Cause: over-power. Fix: medium-high, three to four minutes. 3. Curdled soy on top. Cause: soy poured into raw egg unevenly. Fix: scatter it over the surface. 4. A broken tofu block. Cause: tearing the box open. Fix: the corner snips. 5. A bland bite. Cause: timid soy. Fix: two or three big spoons.

Variations

With shrimp: A few shrimp with the broccoli. My steamed tofu with egg and shrimp is the steamer version. Milder: Less soy, more white pepper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why snip the corners? Air releases the tofu whole – the recipe’s trick. Do I have to plate it? No – the recipe says scoop from the box. Why is the broccoli cooked first? It cannot cook in four minutes. How long in the microwave? Three to four minutes at medium-high. Is it spicy? Only from the white pepper – my silken tofu potage is the no-egg soup, and savory tofu and egg stir-fry the pan version of the pair.

How to Serve

Serve straight from the bowl – with steamed tofu with egg and shrimp, silken tofu potage, and home-style tofu for a gentle table, or with golden pan-fried tofu and braised tofu with bok choy for contrast.

Storage & Reheat

Best fresh. Never leave out more than 2 hours.

Allergen Notice

This recipe contains egg and soy (tofu, soy). It is free of gluten (verify the soy), dairy, nuts, fish, and shellfish.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

About the Author & Recipe Development

I am Jason Guo, a Chinese chef who has cooked professionally for more than five years – including time as a head chef – and now runs my own small restaurant in China, where tofu appears on the menu almost every day. This xiachufang cook’s microwave egg tofu custard is my own late-service meal, and the recipe’s corner-snip trick is exactly what I use in the kitchen. I tested it as written. I have not tried the shrimp version in the microwave, so that is your experiment, not my claim.

Authoritative References

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service – Safe Temperature Chart for safe storage of cooked dishes.