Chawanmushi is a classic Japanese savory custard that is steamed in a delicate cup. Here, we season the smooth and silky egg custard with dashi stock and add tender chicken pieces, kamaboko fish cake, and mushrooms. Make this famous appetizer for your guests to experience authentic Japanese home cooking. {Vegetarian adaptable}
Each of my chawanmushi cups holds up to 200 ml. Please note that the size of the cups affects the cooking time. Do not choose cups with thick walls as the heat won‘t penetrate them easily. You can use aluminum foil to cover the cups if they don‘t have lids.
To Prepare the Hot Water Bath
In a large pot, place the chawanmushi cups (with their lids on) to make sure they fit in the pot. Then, pour enough water to reach halfway up the sides of the cups. Remove the cups and cover the pot with a lid. Bring the water to a boil and turn off the heat. Meanwhile, prepare the ingredients.
To Prepare the Ingredients
Gather all the ingredients.
Cut 2 chicken tenders into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces and put them in a tray or bowl. Add 1 Tbsp sake to coat the chicken pieces and set aside for 10 minutes.
Cut your 8 slices kamaboko (fish cake) thinly. Trim off the bottom of 1.8 oz shimeji mushrooms and separate them into small clusters.
Make a knot in each stem of 4 sprigs mitsuba (Japanese parsley) (see photo). If you are using green onion instead, cut it into thin slices.
To Make the Custard
Place a 4-cup measuring cup or a large bowl on a kitchen scale and tare the scale. Crack 3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) into the measuring cup or bowl. Note the egg weight and multiply by 2.5 to calculate how much dashi to add. (Use a 1-to-2.5 ratio of eggs to dashi. For example: 150 g eggs x 2.5 = 375 ml dashi.) To the eggs, add your calculated amount of dashi.
Next, add 1 tsp mirin, 1 tsp soy sauce, and ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt to the cup with the eggs and dashi. Tip: Use usukuchi soy sauce, if you have it. This light-colored soy sauce keeps the custard from getting dark.
Whisk it all together. Make sure the egg whites and yolks are combined well.
Then, strain the egg mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl. This helps to get a refined silky texture.
To Assemble the Chawanmushi
Divide equally all the ingredients into the chawanmushi cups: First, add the chicken (in a single layer), followed by the shimeji mushrooms, and finally the 8 ginkgo nuts (optional).
Then, place the more colorful ingredients like kamaboko and mitsuba on top. Gently pour the egg mixture into the cups about 80% full, leaving some of the top ingredients uncovered. You might not use all the egg mixture due to the size of your cups and the amount of ingredients you added. Remove any air bubbles with a spoon or pop them with a skewer. Tip: Air bubbles will create a rough texture once the custard is cooked.
To Steam the Chawanmushi
Bring the water in the pot to a boil again. Once boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Carefully place the cups with their lids on in the hot water and cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar. Gently cook for 20 minutes on the lowest heat. If you omit the chicken, cook for only 15 minutes (depending on how much custard is in the cups). Tip: Aim for a temperature of 176–194ºF (80–90ºC) for the simmering water. Do not boil the egg mixture or the finished custard will not be smooth.
To check if the Chawanmushi is done, insert a skewer in the center of the steamed custard; if clear liquid comes out, it‘s done. Or, tilt the cup to see if the mixture is runny; it‘s done if the custard is set. Carefully remove the cups from the hot water. I removed the lids first and then the cups themselves using a hot plate gripper (here‘s a similar one).
To Serve
Cover the cups with their lids and serve hot or warm as an appetizer before the main entree. We typically eat the delicate Chawanmushi with a small wooden or lacquer spoon. Try other variations like Chawanmushi with Shrimp and Matsutake Chawanmushi. You can even use a pressure cooker to make Instant Pot Chawanmushi.
To Store
You can keep the leftovers in their cups and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, steam for 2 minutes.