Gyeran-jjim
Eggs beaten with broth, seasoned with a little salted shrimp, stirred in a hot earthenware pot and then covered until they puff up, soft and custardy, above the rim. Mild and comforting, it's the side dish that cools the heat of a spicy Korean meal. About 15 minutes for two.
- Time
- 15 min
- Level
- Easy
- Spice
- Serves
- 2
What is Gyeran-jjim?
WHAT IT IS
Gyeran-jjim is Korean steamed egg: eggs beaten with water or broth, seasoned with salted shrimp or salt, and cooked gently until soft and custardy. Made in a small earthenware pot (ttukbaegi), it puffs up above the rim like a soufflé. It's a popular side dish, often brought to the table still bubbling alongside grilled meat or spicy stews.
WHERE IT COMES FROM
Egg dishes start to appear in Joseon-era cookbooks, and the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture describes one of them, aljjim, in terms close to today's dish: eggs beaten with water, seasoned with salted shrimp, and steamed in a ttukbaegi set on top of the rice as it cooked. Like many Korean jjim dishes that were once steamed and are now mostly cooked directly in the pot, the modern version is usually made right over the burner.
Sources:Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (달걀)Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (찜)National Institute of Korean Language (한식명 로마자 표기 및 표준 번역, 2014)
Ingredients
재료Each Korean item has a substitute, in case you can’t get to a store.
Paid links · The store links in this list are affiliate links: K for All earns a commission when you buy through them. Sales, shipping and refunds are handled by each store.
- 4 largeEggs 달걀Any grocer
- ¾ cup (180 ml)Water or anchovy broth 물 또는 멸치 육수
Substitute: Plain water is fine. Anchovy or kelp broth makes it more savory; an anchovy broth tablet dissolved in water is the quick way.
Search on Amazon Amazon US - 1 tspSalted shrimp (saeujeot), finely chopped 새우젓
Substitute: Or season with ½ tsp salt or 1 tsp fish sauce.
Any grocer - 2 tbspScallions, finely sliced 쪽파Any grocer
- 1 tspToasted sesame oil 참기름
Otoki Premium Roasted Sesame Oil · 10.82 fl oz
Check price on Amazon Amazon US -
- A pinch of sugar (optional) and a few drops of cooking oil for the potIn your pantry
Method
만드는 법Sources we compared:Korean Bapsang10000recipe
- 1
Beat the eggs
Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them well with a fork or whisk. Add the broth or water, the salted shrimp and the sugar, if using, and beat until completely smooth.
For a silkier, custard-like texture, pour the mixture through a fine sieve.
- 2
Heat the pot
Rub the inside of a small stovetop-safe earthenware or stone pot with a few drops of oil, and set it over medium heat for 1–2 minutes.
- 3
Stir until it thickens
Pour in the egg mixture and stir constantly with a spoon or chopsticks, scraping the bottom and sides, for 1–2 minutes, until it looks like soft, loose scrambled eggs. Stir in most of the scallions.
Keep stirring at this stage: it cooks the egg evenly so the bottom doesn't scorch before the top sets.
- 4
Cover and steam
Turn the heat to low, cover the pot with its lid (or an upturned heatproof bowl) and cook for 4–6 minutes, without lifting the lid, until the egg has puffed up and the center is set.
No earthenware pot? Pour the mixture into a heatproof bowl, set it in a pot of gently boiling water that comes halfway up its sides, cover and steam over medium-low heat for 8 minutes. Stir gently, add the scallions, and steam about 4 minutes more, until set.
- 5
Finish and serve
Drizzle with the sesame oil, sprinkle with sesame seeds and the rest of the scallions, and bring it to the table in the pot while it's still bubbling. Set the pot on a trivet: it stays very hot.
Its mild, soft taste is a classic partner for spicy dishes such as kimchi jjigae or jeyuk-bokkeum.
Say it in Korean
한국어로 말해 보세요For a Korean barbecue or stew restaurant, where it's a favorite side order.
Cookware you’ll need
조리 도구Any small stovetop-safe earthenware pot works, or a heatproof bowl set in a steamer. For the puffed, bubbling restaurant version, this is the stone pot we link to.
