The gentle steamed bowl I make when dinner should be quiet is this one – egg tofu milk custard, and this home cook’s version rings egg-tofu rounds inside a milk-and-egg custard that steams silky. A home cook wrote it in fourteen steps with the timing in the title: ten minutes, then four or five more. I made it as written, and it is the soft, tender bowl that needs nothing but a little soy.

Ri shi dou fu zheng dan (日式豆腐蒸蛋) is egg tofu milk custard – rounds of Japanese egg tofu arranged in a ring and steamed inside a custard of eggs, milk, and a little oil and salt.

What Is Egg Tofu Milk Custard?

This is the steamed-silk bowl of Japanese egg tofu: the tube of egg tofu is cut into one-centimeter rounds and arranged in a ring around the plate. Eggs are beaten with a little oil and salt and a box of milk – the milk is the softness – and poured in. The plate goes over high steam under a second plate left slightly ajar, ten minutes, then a scatter of scallion and four or five minutes more until the custard sets. A spoon of seafood soy over the top, and it is ready.

For the shrimp-and-egg steamed tofu sibling of the same steamer, my steamed tofu with egg and shrimp trades the milk for the sea.

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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 egg-tofu ring. Rounds of Japanese egg tofu – already silky.
• Milk in the custard. The softer set, the recipe’s addition.
• A little oil in the eggs. A smoother texture.
• The second plate ajar. Steam without a flood – the gentle lid.
• Ten plus five. Two-stage steaming, silky to the center.

Equipment Needed

• A steamer with a lid
• A plate that fits over the dish
• A whisk

Ingredients

• 3 tubes of Japanese egg tofu (日式豆腐)
• 3 eggs
• 1 box (250 ml) of milk
• A little oil and salt
• A little scallion and seafood soy (or steamed-fish soy), to finish

Ingredient Notes

Egg tofu: The tube of silky Japanese egg tofu. My types of tofu explained places it with silken. Milk: The custard’s softness. The finish: Seafood soy or steamed-fish soy – nothing more needed.

Prep & Mise en Place

Cut the egg tofu into rounds; whisk the eggs with milk, oil, and salt; slice the scallion.

Cooking Process

Step 1 – Take out three tubes of Japanese egg tofu

Take out three tubes of Japanese egg tofu.

Step 2 – Crack three eggs

Crack three eggs.

Step 3 – Cut open the tofu tube and ease the tofu out

Cut open the tofu tube and ease the tofu out.

Step 4 – Cut into one-centimeter rounds

Cut into one-centimeter rounds.

Step 5 – Arrange the rounds in a ring around the plate

Arrange the rounds in a ring around the plate.

Step 6 – Beat the eggs in a bowl with a little oil

Beat the eggs in a bowl with a little oil.

Step 7 – Add a little salt and beat the eggs well

Add a little salt and beat the eggs well.

Step 8 – Pour in one box (250 ml) of milk

Pour in one box (250 ml) of milk.

Step 9 – Whisk until smooth

Whisk until smooth.

Step 10 – Pour the custard into the plate and set over high steam

Pour the custard into the plate and set over high steam.

Step 11 – Cover with a second plate, left slightly ajar; steam 10

Cover with a second plate, left slightly ajar; steam 10 minutes.

Step 12 – Scatter a little scallion – the custard is not yet set

Scatter a little scallion – the custard is not yet set – cover and steam 4-5 minutes more.

Step 13 – The silky custard is ready

The silky custard is ready.

Step 14 – Finish with seafood soy or steamed-fish soy

Finish with seafood soy or steamed-fish soy.

Common Mistakes When Making This Dish

1. A honeycombed custard. Cause: steam too fierce. Fix: the second plate ajar over medium. 2. A watery center. Cause: too short a second steam. Fix: the full 4-5 minutes more. 3. A curdled, split custard. Cause: too much salt in the raw egg. Fix: salt lightly. 4. Torn egg-tofu rounds. Cause: forcing the tube. Fix: cut the pack open and ease it out. 5. A heavy, eggy set. Cause: no milk. Fix: the full box.

Variations

No milk: Use water for a lighter set. My steamed tofu with egg and shrimp is the seafood version. Savory: A little minced pork between the rounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Japanese egg tofu? The tube of silky egg tofu found in the chilled section. Why milk? It makes the custard softer – the recipe’s addition. Why the second plate ajar? It shields the custard from dripping steam. Why two steams? The scallion goes in before the custard fully sets. How long does it take? About 30 minutes, and my silken tofu potage is the other gentle bowl, golden pan-fried tofu the crisper plate.

How to Serve

Serve warm with a spoon of soy – with steamed tofu with egg and shrimp, silken tofu potage, and home-style tofu for a gentle table, or with savory tofu and egg stir-fry and golden pan-fried tofu for variety.

Storage & Reheat

Best fresh; refrigerate 1 day. Never leave out more than 2 hours. For a soy-simmered egg-tofu plate instead, my yu xiang egg tofu is the saucy pan version.

Allergen Notice

This recipe contains egg, milk, and soy (egg tofu, soy finish). It is free of gluten (verify the soy), 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 egg tofu milk custard is the quiet bowl of my steamer, and the recipe’s milk-and-ajar-lid tricks are exactly why it steams silky. I tested it as written. I have not tested the savory pork version, 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.