Originally published in January 2023. Updated with photo and recipe changes in April 2026.
Chinese Steamed Trio Egg (三色蒸水蛋) combines fresh eggs, salted egg and century egg into a silky, jiggly, custard-like dish. It’s light, savoury and perfect with a bowl of steamed rice.
Table of Contents
- What is Chinese Steamed Trio Egg?
- What Are Salted Duck Eggs and Century Eggs?
- Where to Buy These Eggs
- How to Make Chinese Steamed Trio Egg
- Top Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chinese Steamed Trio Egg?
Chinese Steamed Trio Egg (三色蒸水蛋) is a simple Cantonese home-style dish that brings together three types of eggs: fresh chicken egg, salted duck egg, and century egg.
It’s gently steamed into a soft, custard-like texture, then drizzled with soy sauce and sesame oil for a light savoury finish.
A lot of you loved my Chinese steamed egg recipe, which hit over 10M views on Instagram! So if you’re looking to try something new, this trio egg is a great one to add to your quick dinner rotation.
Each egg plays a role. The fresh egg creates a light, silky base, the salted duck egg adds richness and savoury depth, and the century egg brings a creamy texture with a subtle pungent flavour. Together, it creates a super comforting, flavourful dish that goes perfectly with a bowl of steamed rice.
What Are Salted Duck Eggs and Century Eggs?
Salted duck eggs (鹹蛋) and century eggs (皮蛋) are both traditional Chinese preserved eggs, but they’re made in different ways and bring completely different flavours and textures to a dish.
Salted duck eggs are cured in a salt brine or packed in a salted mixture for several weeks. This gives them a rich and slightly oily yolk and a firm, salty white. They add a deep savoury flavour that really enhances the overall dish.
Century eggs are preserved using an alkaline process. The white turns into a dark jelly-like texture, while the yolk becomes dark and creamy with a slightly pungent flavour.
Where to Buy These Eggs
You can usually find salted duck eggs and century eggs at your local Asian supermarket. They’re usually in the refrigerated or preserved foods section and sold in packs of six.
If you don’t have an Asian supermarket nearby, many stores also stock them online, or you can also find them on Amazon.
How to Make Chinese Steamed Trio Egg
1) Prepare the Egg Mixture
Crack 3 eggs into a bowl, season with salt and white pepper, and beat until well combined.
Measure the volume of the egg mixture, then add warm water at a 1:1.5 ratio (e.g. 150ml eggs + 225ml water). Whisk gently until fully combined, avoiding over-whisking to prevent bubbles.
2) Prepare the Trio Eggs
Chop the salted egg and century egg into small pieces and spread them evenly in a heatproof dish. Place the dish in a steamer and steam on high for 1–2 minutes to warm it up.
3) Combine and Steam
Carefully pour the egg mixture into the dish. Use a spoon to skim off any surface bubbles if needed. Cover and steam on high heat for 4 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave the lid on for 10 minutes to finish cooking.
4) Finish and Serve
Check the centre is set with a gentle jiggle. Drizzle with light soy sauce and sesame oil, then garnish with chopped green onions. Serve warm with steamed rice.
Top Tips for Silky Smooth Steamed Eggs
1) Use a 1:1.5–2 egg-to-water ratio
For silky, jiggly steamed eggs, adding enough water is really important. The more water you add (up to double the volume of the eggs), the softer and more delicate the texture becomes. A 1:1.5 ratio gives you a smooth, slightly firm custard; closer to 1:2 gives you an ultra-jiggly, melt-in-your-mouth result.
2) Gently mix, don’t over-whisk
When beating the eggs and water together, mix gently to avoid creating too many bubbles. Bubbles will cause the surface of the steamed egg to look rough and pockmarked instead of smooth and glossy.
3) Preheat the dish before steaming
Steaming the dish for 1–2 minutes before adding the egg mixture helps it cook more evenly from the bottom up. This prevents uneven textures and helps the egg set nicely without overcooking the top or undercooking the centre.
More Steamed Egg Recipes You’ll Love
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can make a simple steamed egg if you prefer. Follow my Chinese Steamed Egg recipe instead, as the steam timings are a little different! This trio version just adds extra depth of flavour and texture.
The centre of the steamed egg should be just set and slightly wobbly. If it jiggles evenly without liquid in the middle, it’s ready.
I’ve written a post on how I steam food without a steamer, where I share the large wok I use, my steaming rack, and other simple kitchen tools.
Chinese Steamed Trio Egg
2
servings5
minutes40
minutesChinese Steamed Trio Egg features eggs, salted egg and century egg into a silky, custard-like dish. It’s light, savoury and incredibly comforting.
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Ingredients
3 large eggs
1 preserved duck egg (century egg)
1 salted duck egg
1/4 tsp white pepper powder
Warm water, 1.5x the volume of your beaten eggs (e.g. if eggs measure 150ml, use 225ml water)
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 green onion, chopped (garnish)
Directions
- Crack 3 eggs into a bowl, season with salt and white pepper, and beat until well combined.
- Measure the volume of the egg mixture, then add warm water at a 1:1.5 ratio (e.g. 150ml eggs + 225ml water). Whisk gently so the egg and water are fully combined, but avoid over-whisking to prevent bubbles.
- Chop the salted egg and century egg into small pieces and spread them evenly in a heatproof dish. Place the dish in a steamer and steam on high for 1–2 minutes to warm it up.
- Carefully pour in the egg mixture, using a spoon to skim off any surface bubbles if needed.
- Cover and steam on high heat for 4 minutes, then turn off the heat. Keep the lid on and let it sit for 10 minutes to finish cooking.
- Give the plate a gentle jiggle to check that the centre of the egg is set.
- Finish with a drizzle of light soy sauce and sesame oil, then garnish with chopped green onions. Serve with steamed rice.
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