Steamed Savory Egg Custard: A Versatile Japanese Classic

Chawanmushi is a savory Japanese egg custard that is steamed in a cup—the word “chawan” refers to a teacup or rice bowl, and “mushi” means steamed. It is commonly served as an appetizer or as part of a larger meal. The custard, made from eggs, dashi, soy sauce, and mirin, has a remarkably smooth texture and a mild, delicate flavor. Typically, it contains a mix of fillings, with the most classic combination being chicken or shrimp (or both), shiitake or shimeji mushrooms, fish cake, a gingko nut, and mitsuba (Japanese parsley).

Gingko nuts and mitsuba can be hard to source in the United States, but you can substitute a few edamame for the gingko nut and some chopped scallion greens for the mitsuba if you like. The fillings listed in the ingredients are all optional, though. If you prefer to leave out the shrimp, you might add a bit more chicken. Or omit both and include additional vegetables, such as sliced carrot or bamboo shoots. (When I make steamed savory egg custard, I often add four snow peas or sugar snap peas, sliced on the extreme bias, to the combination below.) Just make sure the ingredients are not too large and are at or close to room temperature so they cook through properly, and ideally aim for a balance of flavors, textures, and colors.

Info

• Cook time: 20 minutes
• Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Filling

• 1/2 boneless, skinless chicken thigh (about 3 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces (see Cook’s Note)
• 4 small shrimp, peeled and deveined (see Cook’s Note)
• 4 boiled fresh or canned gingko nuts or 12 frozen edamame, thawed
• 2 shiitake mushroom, thinly sliced
• Leaves from 4 sprigs mitsuba (Japanese parsley) or 1 scallion, green and pale green part thinly sliced on the bias
• 4 thin slices fish cake (kamaboko)

Custard

• 3 large eggs
• 2 scant cups room-temperature Dashi, recipe follows
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu)
• 1 teaspoon mirin
• Kosher salt

Dashi

• One 4-inch-square piece kombu (dried kelp; about 10 grams)
• 3/4 cup packed katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes; about 15 grams)

Instructions

1. Fill a steamer large enough to hold four 6- to 7-ounce chawanmushi cups (see Cook’s Note) with about 2 inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat while you assemble the chawanmushi.
2. For the filling: Divide the chicken, shrimp, gingko nuts, shiitakes and mitsuba among the chawanmushi cups, layering them on top of each other in order; slip 1 slice of fish cake into each cup along the side.
3. For the custard. Add the eggs to a medium bowl and gently whisk using chopsticks or a fork, aerating them as little as possible. Add the Dashi, light soy sauce, mirin and 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix just until combined. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or another medium bowl. Pour or ladle equal amounts of the custard into each cup, popping any large bubbles, then place the lids on the cups or tightly cover each cup with foil.
4. When the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and carefully place the covered cups into the steamer. Cover the steamer and steam until the custard is just set, 15 to 20 minutes. (To test, using a chopstick or skewer, poke a hole into the center of one of the chawanmushi; if clear liquid fills the hole, it’s ready.) Carefully remove the cups from the steamer (if using lids, it’s easier to remove the lids first, then the cups). Serve, covered, hot, warm or cold and with small spoons.
5. Combine the kombu and 3 cups cold water in a medium saucepan and let sit for about 30 minutes. (You can skip this step if you’re short on time, but it does lend a little extra flavor.) Heat over medium heat until the water comes to a near boil but doesn’t actually boil, about 5 minutes. Discard the kombu.
6. Add the katsuobushi evenly over the water, bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately remove from the heat. Let steep for about 10 minutes without stirring.
7. Pour the dashi through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or quart-size measuring cup. Do not press down on the katsuobushi, which can make the dashi cloudy and/or bitter. Dashi is best used the day it is made, but can be cooled and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

Notes

For a little extra flavor, marinate the chicken and shrimp in a little sake and/or soy sauce for about 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry before adding to the cups. Chawanmushi cups with lids are relatively easy to find online or at Japanese or Asian grocery stores, but you can use any heatproof vessel that is basically the same width at the top and bottom, such as custard cups, ramekins or teacups. The timing may differ, though, depending on the size, shape and material, so do a test run with one chawanmushi first. Also, if you can’t fit all the cups in the steamer at once, cook them in batches.