Japanese🥚 Egg & tofu

Authentic Chawanmushi at Home

Name: Authentic Chawanmushi at Home
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: ~150 g Chicken; 1 tbsp Sake; 18 slices Kamaboko fish cake; ~100 g Shimeji mushrooms; ~2 tbsp Mitsuba (Japanese parsley) or thinly sliced green onion; 3 Large eggs; ~225 ml Dashi stock; 1 tsp Mirin; 1 tsp Soy sauce; ½ tsp Kosher salt

⏱ 30 min

A classic Japanese steamed egg custard seasoned with dashi and filled with tender chicken, kamaboko fish cake, and mushrooms — silky, smooth, and a wonderful home-style appetizer.

Low-carb

Adapted from a video by Just One Cookbook

Authentic Chawanmushi at Home: Simple & Delicious

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

ChickenCut into 1/2-inch strips, then sliced diagonally at a 45° angle into small pieces (sogigiri technique) for even, fast cooking~150 gest.
SakeUsed to marinate the chicken for about 10 minutes1 tbsp
Kamaboko fish cake18 slices
Shimeji mushroomsTrim the base and separate into small clusters~100 gest.
Mitsuba (Japanese parsley) or thinly sliced green onionTie into a knot for garnish; substitute with thinly sliced green onion if unavailable~2 tbspest.
Large eggs3
Dashi stockAmount equals the weighed eggs' weight multiplied by 2.5 (e.g. 315g eggs needs 388ml dashi)~225 mlest.

Steps

▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.

1
Place the chawanmushi cups in a large pot and add water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cups; then remove the cups to set up the steamer.
2
Cut the chicken into strips, then slice diagonally into small pieces. Toss with sake and let sit for about 10 minutes.
3
Slice the kamaboko into 18 pieces, trim and separate the shimeji mushrooms into small clusters, and tie mitsuba into knots for garnish (or substitute with thin green onion slices).
4
Crack the eggs into a measuring cup on a scale, weigh them, and multiply by 2.5 to determine the amount of dashi needed. Add the dashi, mirin, soy sauce, and salt, then whisk thoroughly until the whites and yolks are fully combined.
5
Strain the egg mixture through a fine mesh sieve into another bowl for a smoother, silkier texture.
6
Bring the water in the pot to a boil. Meanwhile, evenly divide the chicken, mushrooms, and kamaboko among the chawanmushi cups, layering them in.
7
Gently pour the strained egg mixture into the cups until about 80% full, leaving some ingredients peeking above the surface. Top with mitsuba or green onion, then remove any air bubbles with a spoon or skewer.
8
Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Carefully place the cups into the hot water and cover with lids (or aluminum foil if there are no lids). Cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and steam gently for about 20 minutes at 180–190°F.
9
Insert a skewer into the center of the custard; if clear liquid comes out, it's done. You can also tilt the cup slightly to check if the custard still runs to confirm doneness.
10
Carefully remove the cups from the hot water and serve hot as an appetizer.

Authentic Chawanmushi at Home

Ingredients

Steps

More like this