Chawanmushi (Japanese Steamed Egg Custard)

Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving: Calories 135, Total Fat 6 grams, Saturated Fat 2 grams, Cholesterol 183 milligrams, Sodium 417 milligrams, Carbohydrates 6 grams, Dietary Fiber 2 grams, Sugar 2 grams, Protein 14 grams
Total: 1 hr 15 min (includes steeping and cooling times)
Active: 20 min

Discover the silky delight of Chawanmushi, a classic Japanese steamed custard ("chawan" means teacup or rice bowl, "mushi" means steamed). This elegant appetizer or side shines with subtle flavors from eggs, dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. Customize with tender chicken, succulent shrimp, earthy shiitake mushrooms, fish cake, ginkgo nuts, and mitsubaswap in edamame for ginkgo and scallions for mitsuba if needed. Keep pieces small, at room temperature, and mix for balanced flavors, textures, and colors to create a dish that's as beautiful as it is irresistible.

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 ginkgo nuts or 12 frozen edamame, thawed
2 shiitake mushrooms, 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

Instructions

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.
For the filling: Divide the chicken, shrimp, ginkgo nuts, shiitakes, and mitsuba among the chawanmushi cups, layering them in order; slip 1 slice of fish cake into each cup along the side.
For the custard: Add the eggs to a medium bowl and gently whisk using chopsticks or a fork, taking care not to incorporate too much air. Add the Dashi, light soy sauce, mirin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, mixing 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.
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, use a chopstick or skewer to poke a hole into the center of one chawanmushi; if clear liquid fills the hole, it's ready.) Carefully remove the cups from the steamer (if using lids, remove the lids first, then the cups). Serve hot, warm, or cold, covered, with small spoons.

Dashi

Combine the kombu and 3 cups cold water in a medium saucepan and let sit for about 30 minutes. (This step can be skipped if you're short on time, but it adds extra flavor.) Heat over medium heat until the water is almost boiling, about 5 minutes. Discard the kombu.
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.
Pour the dashi through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or quart-size measuring cup. Do not press down on the katsuobushi, as this can make the dashi cloudy or bitter. Yield: about 2 1/2 cups. Dashi is best used the day it is made, but can be cooled and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Cook's Notes: For 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 easy to find online or at Japanese or Asian grocery stores, but any heatproof vessel with a similar width at the top and bottomsuch as custard cups, ramekins, or teacupscan be used. Cooking time may vary depending on the size, shape, and material, so it's a good idea to test one chawanmushi first. If your steamer can't fit all the cups at once, cook them in batches.