Gyeranjjim

Ingredients

• 4Eggbeaten and passed through a sieve
• ¾ cupWateror anchovy/kombu stock, to thin the egg mixture
• 1 tspFish sauceor saeujeot (salted shrimp paste) for seasoning
• Saltto taste
• ⅓ ozDried kelpsoak in water for 15 minutes to make the stock (optional)
• ⅓ ozSpring onionfinely chopped, stirred in (optional)
• ½ ozCarrotfinely chopped (optional)
• 1 tbspOnionfinely chopped (optional)
• 1 tbspMushroomsfinely chopped (optional)
• 1 tbspShrimpchopped, plus one whole shrimp for garnish (optional)
• 3½ ozCanned tunadrained, stirred into the egg mixture (optional)
• 1 tspSesame oilto grease the dish, prevents sticking and adds aroma (optional)
• Sugarsmall pinch to round off (optional)
• Black pepperto taste (optional)

Method

1. Soak the kombu in the water for 15 minutes, then lift it out; the soaking water is your stock. If you'd rather, use anchovy stock or simply plain water.
2. Beat the eggs thoroughly and push them through a sieve so the stringy bits of white stay behind and the finished custard comes out smooth.
3. Stir the stock into the eggs and season with fish sauce or saeujeot and salt; add a small pinch of sugar and a little black pepper if you like.
4. Finely chop spring onion, carrot, onion, mushrooms or shrimp and stir them in — or fold through drained canned tuna instead.
5. Brush the dish with a thin film of sesame oil and fill it no more than 80 percent full, so the eggs have room to rise as they cook.
6. Heat water in a pot or steamer, set the dish inside, cover and let it set over medium to low heat for about 10 to 20 minutes, until the mixture is just firm.
7. Add the garnish — a whole shrimp, say, or a little spring onion — only in the last moments of cooking, or it will sink.
8. Serve the eggs warm and straight away, ideally in the dish they cooked in.

Tips and variations

There are quicker routes and other routes: covered in the microwave for about 5 minutes; in a hot tteukbaegi, brought to the boil for 3 minutes and then left covered for 10 to 15 minutes to finish; or in a water bath, in which case lay a cloth on the base of the pot so the dish doesn't rattle. Straight in a pot works too — stir the egg mixture over low heat, cover it once it's half set and let it finish cooking, covered. For seasoning, take your pick between anchovy fish sauce, sea salt with a little sugar, or saeujeot with salt and pepper. Serve gyeranjjim hot in the earthenware pot as a side dish, for everyone at the table to spoon from.