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Steamed Egg Custard

Nutritional Value

1. High Protein

  • Eggs, low-fat high-calcium milk, and a variety of seafood can provide high-quality and abundant protein to meet the needs of cancer patients during their cancer treatment. This helps repair body tissues and cells, and boosts the immune system.

2. Antioxidants

  • Shiitake and oyster mushrooms contain the antioxidant ergothioneine, which can help protect cells from free radical damage and aid in fighting cancer [1].

3. Rich in Minerals

  • Scallops, shrimp, clams, and salmon are all seafood that are high in the mineral selenium, which can help prevent cell mutations and aid in cancer prevention.

4. Boosting Immunity

  • Shiitake and oyster mushrooms are rich in B vitamins, which help with cell growth, division, and protein metabolism, and are very beneficial for boosting the immune system. This is particularly important for severely ill patients, as the illness can deplete large amounts of vitamin B. Consuming these mushrooms can help replenish the necessary nutrients and maintain the vitality of the immune cells.
  • Salmon is rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can help reduce chronic inflammation, suppress cancer cell growth, and lower the risk of cancer recurrence [2].

5. Easy to Swallow and Digest

  • The soft, gentle texture and mild flavor of chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard) make it very suitable for cancer patients who are having difficulty swallowing or are undergoing chemotherapy.

(If needed for patients with swallowing difficulties, the ingredients can be finely chopped into 0.4 x 0.4 cm pieces to pass the fork test, meeting the care food Level 5 standard.)

** Slicing and sun-drying the mushrooms for 15 minutes to 2 hours can increase their vitamin D content, which can help regulate the immune system and is beneficial for suppressing breast and prostate cancers.

 

References

  1. Ba, D. M., Ssentongo, P., Beelman, R. B., Muscat, J., Gao, X., & Richie, J. P. (2021). Higher Mushroom Consumption Is Associated with Lower Risk of Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Advances in Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 12(5), 1691–1704. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmab015
  2. Freitas, R. D. S., & Campos, M. M. (2019). Protective Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Cancer-Related Complications. Nutrients, 11(5), 945-. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11050945

 

Ingredients

  • Medium-sized eggs ~ 3
  • Large scallops ~ 3 pieces
  • Large shrimp ~ 6 pieces
  • Clams ~ 6 pieces
  • Salmon ~ 60g
  • Shiitake mushrooms (stem removed) ~ 1 piece
  • Enoki mushrooms ~ 2 
  • Chicken broth ~ 100ml
  • Low-fat high-calcium milk ~ 100ml
  • Salt ~ 1/2 teaspoon
  • Light soy sauce ~ 1/2 teaspoon
  • Ginger ~ 4 slices

Directions

Serving: 3 persons

Preparation time: 30-35 minutes (excluding washing ingredients and thawing frozen ingredients)

1. Slice the mushrooms and enoki mushrooms, and dice the salmon. Set aside.

2. In a pot, add enough water to cover the clams, along with ginger, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the clams and cook until they open. After they open, wait for another minute before removing them from the pot.

3. Keep the clam broth in the pot and continue cooking. Add the shrimp, scallops, shiitake mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms to the broth and cook for about two minutes. Then, remove them from the broth and set aside. You can also reserve the cooked broth for later use.

4. Beat the eggs and add chicken broth and low-fat high-calcium milk.

5. Using a sieve, strain the reserved clam broth and add it to the egg mixture. The liquid volume of the egg mixture should be approximately three times the amount of the added liquid. For example, if the egg mixture is 150ml, you should add 450ml of water or other liquid, which includes milk and chicken broth, and an additional 150ml of clam broth or water.

6. Add salt and light soy sauce to the egg mixture and stir well. Pass the mixture through the sieve twice to make the steamed custard smoother.

7. Take appropriate-sized bowls and evenly distribute the diced salmon at the bottom. Pour in about half of the egg mixture and add the shrimp, scallops, shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, and clams. Reserve a portion of each ingredient for later decoration.

8. Pour in the remaining egg mixture, cover the surface with aluminum foil, and steam over medium-high heat. Once the water in the steamer boils, place the bowls in and steam for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the bowls, garnish with shrimp and the reserved ingredients, cover again with aluminum foil, and steam for an additional 5 minutes to finish.

**Note: You can choose not to reserve a portion of the ingredients for decoration, which would make the process easier. In that case, you only need to steam for a total of 15 minutes. Adjust the size of the ingredients according to personal preference.

 

Prepared by Ho Wing Shan, Chen Weijie  (Outstanding recipe  of Healthy Recipe Competition 2024)

Nutritional value: Yeung King Tung Kary (Research assistant, Department of Clinical Oncology, HKU)

Nutritional value reviewed by Dr. Daphne Wu (Food & Nutritional Science, HKU)