A savory Japanese egg custard steamed in a teacup with delicate ingredients like shrimp, chicken, and ginkgo nuts hidden within. This silky, umami-rich dish is a cornerstone of the kaiseki tradition.
Ingredients
4 large eggs
500ml warm dashi stock
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
4 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
50g chicken breast, diced small
4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
4 mitsuba leaves or parsley sprigs
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 slices kamaboko fish cake
Instructions
1Gently beat the eggs without creating foam, then strain through a fine sieve into the warm dashi stock mixed with soy sauce, mirin, and salt for an ultra-smooth custard base.
2Divide the shrimp, diced chicken, sliced shiitake mushrooms, and kamaboko slices evenly among four heatproof teacups or chawanmushi cups.
3Slowly pour the egg-dashi mixture into each cup over the ingredients, filling them about eighty percent full, and skim off any surface bubbles with a spoon.
4Cover each cup with aluminum foil and steam in a steamer over medium-low heat for fifteen to eighteen minutes until the custard is just set but still wobbles gently.
5Remove the foil, place a mitsuba leaf on top of each custard as garnish, and serve immediately while the chawanmushi is still warm and jiggly.
Did You Know?
Chawanmushi literally means tea cup steamed and is the only traditional Japanese dish that is eaten with a spoon rather than chopsticks.