KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 — A latest viral trend on Chinese social media app RedNote has taken the world by storm — cooking Chinese steamed eggs, a dish that has quickly earned the title of the “new world-famous” Chinese culinary sensation.
According to South China Morning Post, the trend started after Chinese cooking influencer @qunzidefan, with over 100,000 followers, shared a video on January 18 showcasing the process of making Chinese steamed eggs, sometimes mistakenly called “egg custard.”
In the video, she expertly added boiled water into whisked eggs, before steaming the mixture for 15 minutes, resulting in perfectly smooth, bubble-free eggs.
Her post quickly went viral, amassing 279,000 likes and 11,000 comments, and sparking a wave of curiosity among both domestic and international RedNote users.
The platform, known as Xiaohongshu in China, has become a go-to app for food trends, with users from Germany, Scotland, and the United States joining the fray.
The trend’s popularity was boosted by the arrival of millions of new users from overseas, especially after the temporary suspension of TikTok in the US, which drove many social media enthusiasts to RedNote.
Among the standout international posts was one from Philip, a German RedNote user with 480,000 followers, whose steamed eggs were hailed as “better than the locals.”
Many praised his technique, noting that while the dish seemed simple, achieving the perfect steamed eggs required precise timing and ingredient control.
Some Chinese users, in contrast, shared their less-than-perfect attempts, humorously comparing their results to beehives or cornbread and asking why international users were getting it right when they couldn’t.
In response, other Chinese users posted creative, upgraded versions of the dish, decorated with vegetable flower patterns or Christmas tree designs. However, some were critical of international users adding sugar to their steamed eggs, as the traditional seasoning is salt.
RedNote users from China have been warmly welcoming these international “Tiktok refugees,” as they’ve been affectionately called.
Alongside sharing recipes, users have exchanged photos of their families, pets, and even helped each other with English and math homework.