Qi Food:
Simple Cooking for a Vibrant Life

We are often asked what kind of food we like, and how we balance practice and daily eating. We don’t think of food as a diet. We play with it. As Dongmei likes to say, what matters most is Qi.

So we call what we eat Qi food—food that carries Qi.

Qi food is simple food, cooked with care, good ingredients, and balanced flavor. When it’s made with attention and heart, it naturally nourishes both body and spirit.

Here we share what we cook and how we eat—quiet, everyday food for living well.

Qi food is a lifestyle.

Our favorite breakfast may change, but one dish always returns: Steamed Egg—soft, warming, and quietly nourishing. That’s why it’s the first recipe we share.

Steamed Egg

  • Serves: 1

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes

  • Cooking Time: 10–15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 egg

  • Boiling water

  • Salt, a small pinch

  • Cooking oil, olive oil, or sesame oil, for finishing

  • Soy sauce, a few drops

  • Scallions, finely chopped

Optional Toppings
(added partway through cooking)

  • Chopped shrimp

  • Toasted pine nuts

  • Chopped olives

  • Other light toppings of your choice

Preparation

Egg Mixture

  • Crack the egg directly into the serving container.

  • Add boiling water in an equal amount to the egg.
    (For a softer texture, use 2–3 times the volume of the egg.)

  • Add a small pinch of salt.

  • Stir very thoroughly until fully blended.

Method

  1. Set up the steamer

    Place the container into the steamer while the water is still cold.

  2. Steam

    Turn on the heat and steam gently for 10–15 minutes, depending on:

    the strength of the heat

    the depth of the container
    (Shallower containers cook faster; deeper ones take longer.)

  3. Check doneness

    Open the steamer and insert a toothpick or small stick into the egg.

    If it can stand upright, the egg is done.

  4. Optional toppings

    When the egg is about 80% set (slightly firm but still soft), open the steamer and add any optional toppings.

    Continue steaming until fully set.

  5. Finish

    Remove from the steamer.

    Drizzle lightly with oil.

    Sprinkle with chopped scallions.

    Add a few drops of soy sauce.

Serve

  • Serve warm, directly from the container, with a spoon.

    Chef’s Note

Using boiling water creates a smoother, silkier texture. Starting the steaming process from cold water allows the egg to set gently and evenly. Adjusting the water ratio gives full control over firmness—from custard-soft to fully set. Soy sauce not only adds flavor but also enhances color and visual appeal.