“Steam water” meat is a delicate, savory steamed meat and egg custard, kind of a mash-up of steamed meatloaf and Japanese chawanmushi (steamed egg custard). Although it’s a 名菜 famous dish in 武汉 Wuhan and across 湖北 Hubei province, it’s rarely found elsewhere at even the most authentic Chinese restaurants. Like Wuhan Hot Dry Noodles 武汉热干面, this is a regionally specific dish that is simultaneously well-known and hard-to-find.
Happy Mother’s Day! I’m making Wuhan’s famous breakfast noodle for my mom. Hot dry noodles, one of the top 5 noodles in Chinese cuisine, are surprisingly easy to make at home! I also included substitutions for the authentic ingredients with readily available options from conventional grocery stores.