Steamed Layered Egg Squares

Nishiki-tamago, brocade egg, is one of the dishes that is part of osechi-ryori, the traditional feast eaten during the first three days of the new year. In this dish, hard-boiled eggs are separated into yolks and whites, which are separately pressed through a fine sieve and mixed with salt and sugar. The two mixtures are then layered in a square steel mold and steamed. The finished dish, which displays alternate layers of egg yolk and egg white, reminds the Japanese of finely