Mum’s Chinese Egg Custard with Shiitake, Black Fungus and Yellow Needle Flower. Neighbourhood haunt Devon Cafe are now open for dinner. Head chef Zach Tan shares his mum’s prized recipe for savoury Chinese Custard.
Makes 3
Ingredients
300g free range eggs (6 eggs)
450g of water
1/2 teaspoon of salt
pinch of white pepper
2 ew char kwai (Chinese dough sticks)
15 goji berries
dried black fungus soaked in water and cut into small pieces
Snow fungus soaked in water and cut into small pieces
100g shiitake mushrooms, stalks removed and sliced into fine slivers, then blanched in salted water for 30 seconds
finely minced chives
garlic chips
truffle oil
fresh black truffle (5-20g depending on your budget)
light soy sauce
1. Mix all of the custard ingredients without aerating the mixture too much.
2. Remove bubbles from surface of mix.
3. Ladle into a stainless steel dish/ramekin and remove any surface bubbles.
4. Steam at low heat (80C) until custard just sets – it should still wobble in the centre when shaken. The rough cooking time, depending on dish/ramekin used, is 15-20 minutes.
5. Once custard has been set, garnish custard with a few pieces of goji berry, small pieces of snow fungus and black fungus, shitake mushrooms and warm in steamer for a few minutes on low heat.
6. Remove dish from steamer, garnish with chopped chives, garlic chips, drizzle truffle oil and finely shaved black truffle.
7. Fry char kwai for 10 seconds. Serve immediately.