Japanese🥚 Egg & tofu

Chawanmushi (Japanese Egg Custard)

Name: Chawanmushi (Japanese Egg Custard)
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 3 eggs; 10 cm kombu (dried kelp); bonito flakes; water; to taste salt; to taste sake; to taste soy sauce; shiitake mushrooms; fish cake; chicken breast; mitsuba (trefoil)

⏱ 35 min

An elegant Japanese savoury egg custard that literally means "steamed in a tea cup". The key to achieving a silky, delicate custard is the simple ratio of 1 part egg to 3 parts stock. Individual portions are traditionally steamed in tea cups or bowls with select ingredients, creating a refined and comforting dish.

High-protein

Adapted from a video by Adam Liaw

How to Make Chawanmushi | Japanese Egg Custard | Egg Ratios | Roadtrip For Good

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

eggs3
kombu (dried kelp)approximately square piece, wiped with damp cloth10 cm
bonito flakesfor making Ichiban dashi
waterfor making stock
saltto taste
saketo taste
soy sauceto taste
shiitake mushroomsstems removed, sliced finely

Steps

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1
Make Ichiban dashi: wipe a piece of kombu with a damp cloth to remove excess salt, then place in cold water and heat until steaming (around 60–70°C), then remove the kombu.
2
Bring the water to a boil, add bonito flakes, turn off heat, and let sit for about 10 minutes, then strain to obtain the dashi stock.
3
Prepare the ingredients: remove stems from shiitake mushrooms using scissors and slice finely; slice the fish cake thinly; slice the chicken breast thinly.
4
Place chicken in a small bowl and season with a dash of sake and soy sauce.
5
Prepare the egg mixture: gently stir 3 eggs without whisking, using horizontal stirring motions to avoid incorporating air. Ensure the whites and yolks are completely combined.
6
Measure the egg mixture volume (approximately 150 ml) and calculate the stock needed at a 1:3 ratio (approximately 450 ml of stock to 150 ml of egg).
7
In a separate measuring jug, add salt, sake, and soy sauce to season the stock, then gently fold in the egg mixture.
8
Pour the egg and stock mixture through a fine strainer into another container to ensure a completely smooth custard without any lumps or separated whites.
9
Assemble the chawanmushi: place some chicken and a few slices of shiitake mushroom in the bottom of each tea cup or small bowl.
10
Fill each cup with the egg and stock mixture up to about 2–3 cm from the rim. Wrap a tea towel around the steamer lid to prevent condensation from dripping onto the custard.
11
Steam on low heat for about 12 minutes until the custard is set but still silky. Test by inserting a skewer into one cup—if the liquid that comes out is clear, it's done.
12
For the presentation layer: arrange decorative ingredients on top of the set custard, add a little more of the egg and stock mixture, then steam for another 4 minutes to complete the dish.
13
Final garnish: remove any air bubbles on the surface using a skewer, tie a knot of fresh mitsuba and place it on top for decoration, then serve.

Chawanmushi (Japanese Egg Custard)

Ingredients

Steps

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