Chawanmushi (Savory Japanese Egg Custard)

Deluxe Chawanmushi

“A generously filled chawanmushi perfect for entertaining guests.
Enjoy the gentle aroma of dashi along with the satisfying variety of ingredients.”
【Ingredients】(Makes 4 servings)
  • Eggs・・・2
  • Chicken thigh・・・80g
  • Shiitake mushroom・・・1
  • Snow peas・・・4
  • Spinach・・・1 bunch
  • Ginkgo nuts (jarred)・・・8
  • Shrimp (or imitation crab sticks)・・・4
  • Dashi packet・・・1 packet
  • Water・・・400ml
  • Salt・・・1/2 tsp
  • Soy sauce・・・1 tsp
  • Mirin・・・1 tsp
  • Yuzu peel・・・a small amount
  • Mitsuba (Japanese parsley)・・・1–2 sprigs
  1. Add 400ml of water and 1 dashi packet to a pot. Once boiling, simmer for 5 minutes to extract the flavor.
  2. Turn off the heat and let the dashi cool naturally with the dashi packet still in the pot.
  3. Prepare the ingredients. Cut the chicken into 1.5cm cubes and coat lightly with soy sauce (not included in the ingredient list). Slice the shiitake mushroom thinly. Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds and cut into 3cm lengths. Remove the strings from the snow peas. Peel and devein the shrimp. Wash the yuzu well, thinly peel only the yellow part of the skin, and cut into fine strips. Cut the mitsuba into 2cm lengths.
  4. Place 2 ginkgo nuts and the prepared ingredients from step 3 into each serving bowl.
  5. Once the dashi has cooled, remove the dashi packet and add the salt, soy sauce, and mirin.
  6. Crack the eggs directly into the dashi and mix thoroughly with chopsticks. (Do not whisk into a foam.)
  7. Strain the egg mixture through a sieve. (You may skip this step if desired.)
  8. Carefully pour the egg mixture into the bowls and cover each with plastic wrap.
  9. Add water to a steamer. Once boiling, reduce to low heat, place the chawanmushi inside, and steam for 10 minutes.
  10. Remove the plastic wrap and insert a bamboo skewer. If clear broth comes out, the chawanmushi is cooked. If cloudy egg mixture appears, cover again and steam for another 2–3 minutes.
  11. Once steamed, remove the plastic wrap and garnish each chawanmushi with a small amount of mitsuba and yuzu peel before covering with a lid.
☆Tips☆
① Steaming over low heat helps prevent bubbles and creates a smooth texture.
② Adding mitsuba and yuzu peel at the end gives the dish an elegant, hospitality-style presentation.

※ This recipe uses the freshly made dashi packet “Suruga Bay Blend.” Other types of dashi may also be used.