Delicate and savory, Chawanmushi is a classic Japanese steamed egg custard served in a cup. Learn how to make this appetizer for a true Japanese home cooking experience. Your guests will be impressed!
Chawanmushi is a Japanese egg custard appetizer which consists of ginkgo nuts, shiitake mushrooms, kamaboko (Japanese fish cake), and an egg mixture flavored with dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. The egg custard is steamed in a dainty little tea cup and often served as a cold or hot appetizer. With a lovely pale yellow and colorful toppings, it is as tasty as it looks.
Considered a classic appetizer, you will find Chawanmushi in the menu in many sushi or Japanese restaurants. There are many interesting variations and seasonal ingredients such as shrimp, fish, or veggies are often included. Because it’s highly customizable, this savory egg custard can be homey or fancy depending what goes into it. To get you started, I’ll be sharing a basic Chawanmushi recipe with chicken today.
The texture…
The steamed custard is smooth & silky, while the sweet savory meat and vegetables lend contrasting mouthfeel to the dish. And there’s juice from the broth, which makes each bite utterly satisfying and surprising.
The flavor…
You can expect a delicate yet complex flavor from a good cup of Chawanmushi. There is a balance of sweetness and saltiness from the different components. And the seasonings – dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sake attribute a umami taste, which is key to make a delicious custard.
For dashi, I highly recommend you use dashi packet or make it from scratch since that’s the soup base of this dish. However, you can follow this quick method with MSG-free instant dashi powder as well.
To serve Chawanmushi
Chawanmushi is typically served in small cup with lids. Otherwise, you can use ramekins, pretty little small bowls or oven proof mugs to prepare the steamed custard.
There is really nothing like a silky custard with a slightly sweet and savory broth topped with delicacies to soothe the hungry stomach while you wait for the main meal to be served. I hope you give this recipe a try because it is easy and practical to make at home.
We always like to eat chawanmushi with uni (sea urchin) and ikura (salmon roe) on top. It’s a little bit of a luxury and I can’t describe how delicious it is.
For more Chawanmushi recipes:
Before moving onto the recipe, I want to thank Amelia of Amelia’s De-ssert for the blog awards. Thank you Amelia!
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- 2 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 3 Tbsp water
- ½ cup dashi (120 ml)
- ½ boneless skinless chicken thigh
- ½ Tbsp sake (for chicken)
- 1 large egg
- 6 slices carrot (thin round slices)
- 6 ginkgo nuts (pre-cooked) (optional)
- 1 oz shimeji mushrooms (1 oz = 30 g)
- 6 slices Kamaboko (fish cake) (thin slices)
- 4 Mitsuba (Japanese parsley) (or 1 green onion/scallion)
- 2 pieces uni (sea urchin)
- 2 Tbsp Ikura (salmon roe)
Gather all the ingredients. I use 2 chawanmushi cups (each can fill up to 200 ml).
- In a small bowl, put 2 dried shiitake and 3 Tbsp water and rehydrate for 15 minutes. When shiitake becomes soft, squeeze water out and slice them thinly. Tip: This liquid is Shiitake Dashi. If you want to use this Shiitake Dashi as a part of your dashi in this recipe, remove 2 Tbsp from ½ cup dashi, and replace with 2 Tbsp Shiitake Dashi.
- Cut chicken thigh into ½-inch pieces and put them in a bowl. Add ½ Tbsp sake and set aside for 15 minutes.
- Cut out the carrot slices into a flower shape with vegetable cutters.
- Tie mitsuba like this.
- Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. Add the seasonings and ½ cup dashi. Mix well.
- Then strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into another bowl.
In a large pot, bring water to boil. The amount of water should cover ½ of chawanmushi cup. When boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest heat.
- Divide all the ingredients into 2 chawanmushi cups; I started with chicken, shiitake, ginkgo nuts, and shimeji. Then put more colorful ingredients like carrot, kamaboko, and mitsuba on top.
- Gently pour the egg mixture into the cups, keeping some ingredients on top uncovered with egg mixture. Cover with the chawanmushi lid (or cover with aluminum foil).
- Once water starts boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest heat. Gently place the cups inside the hot water and cover the pot with the lid. Cook for 25-30 minutes on the lowest heat. If you do not add the chicken, the cooking time should only be 15-20 minutes. Insert a skewer in the center of the cup to check if the egg is done. Optionally, I like to put uni (sea urchin) and ikura (salmon roe) on top.
Soy Sauce: Use Usukuchi Soy Sauce (light color soy sauce) so the egg mixture will not become too dark.
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
Very nice, Nami! It seems a white frittata in a cup… fabulous! 🙂
Lovely Nami,
This looks delicious…
What a beautiful presentation, I love the carrots flowers so cute…
Have a great time with your friend… Enjoy!!!
These are so pretty Nami! I love the sound of the chawanmushi with ikura. Have a wonderful time with your friend!
Very beautiful!
Again great photos and recipe.
Also just to let you know, this is the first time I heard of that name, I know the Japanese have a savoury custard but never knew the name. That looks really good
Wow, you always have such a perfect meals!
Gorgeous Chawanmushi…
Ah-ha… I am taking note… not to place the mixture over boiling water!!
Mine was always ‘bubbly’ and not as smooth as your photo… due to the ‘Boiling’ water.
Thanks Nami… hehehe. Kids and hubby will be impressed with my next smooth Chawanmushi… am so happy 😀
Love your pictures and also Chawanmushi, yours definitely look better than those serve in outside Japanese restaurant..Thanks for sharing the tips too.
Nami what a beautiful dish. I have not heard of this before. I love how it all comes together and the presentation is stunning with the salmon roe on top! Have a good time off, hope you enjoy it!
Nami, as a huge chawanmushi fan I am in awe of your achievement. I mean here all: the photos, the beautifully arranged ingredients and the appealing side. When I look at your lovely photos I think I should delete my old chawanmushi post which is a disgrace for the chawanmushi universe and then go back and buy the chawanmushi bowls I saw the other day (although they were not as beautiful as yours).
You made me also realise the cover is necessary (I haven’t used any with my chawan mushi, so the top is a bit grilled) and also the consistency I obtained is probably too thick. The book I saw my recipe in suggested powdered chicken stock if no dashi is available. Have you ever heard about it?
Once more I cannot take my eyes off your pictures! It was an excellent idea to post this recipe! Have a great weekend with your friend!
わぁ〜〜茶碗蒸しだぁ。。簡単そうで実は難しいんだよね＾＾；実は、私はすっごく苦手＞＜だしと卵の分量と蒸す時間。すが入らないようにこんな風にきれいに蒸すのは至難の業。。。母親は上手に作ってたけど。。。”おだまき”とかいうんでしたっけ？あの茶碗むしのなかにうどんがはいってるやつ（記憶が実に曖昧）昔よくつくってもらったのを思い出した。銀杏とか入って秋を感じますね〜〜〜
You know I can’t have egg but I simply can not stop drooling at your custards. They sound so good and look amazing!
Enjoy your weekend with your friend!
I thought this was a dessert, but this is so super savory (and beautiful).
Oh, Nami, your custards are works of art!! So beautiful!!! And just delicious, I’m certain. Love your flower shaped carrots…so cute.
PS…you must be a night owl! I saw you posted a comment just an hour before I got up here in the eastern time zone! Enjoy the time with your friend~~
Nami, that looks just so beautiful! I love how vibrant the colours in this dish are and the uni with ikura really makes it look extra shiny.
I wish you a great time with your friend! 🙂
Cheers,
Tobias
Awesome dish! I tried it in the restaurant and just loved it. Thanks for the recipe. It looks even better than in the restaurant!
I ever see this menu on one of japanese restaurant I often go with my hubby, but I never order this… haha ha!
Lucky me u post the recipe Nami so I can try at home 🙂
Lovely & gergeous steam egg custard u have there!
Loves the color! 😉
So funny I just had a Korean version of steamed egg custard and was discussing with my friend how all the oriental cuisines seem to have a version of it. Definitely comfort food for me =D.
Hi Nami! What beautiful pictures…you are SO talented! (still voting for your daily). You have a wee award on my site (9/7/11). Well deserved and what a beautiful dish!
Very lovely pics. My mom loves this dish.
I love chawanmushi and never thought to make it at home! Yours is so beautiful. Great photos (as always) and presentation. Can’t wait to give this a try!
This is sooo pretty!
Oh my….. this is so cute and pretty. Looks delicious and lovely presentation.
Wow – I have never seen an egg custard like this before Nami – it is so beautifully presented! I love that it is so versatile and can be served hot or cold.
Have a happy visit with your friend.
🙂 Mandy
GORGEOUS presentation.. your food always looks so beautiful!!
Your Chawanmushi is so pretty! I’ve never made this before… Have a great time with your friend, enjoy your time off!
I have never heard of Chawanmushi buuut it sounds super delish! I tend to like savory foods 🙂
Congrats on your blog awards, Nami! 😀
Chawanmushi is a MUST to order whenever we dine at Japanese restaurants. Now I know why are the steamed egg custards so tasty! It’s the dashi soup base! 🙂
The girls would be very delighted to have some home-made Chawanmushi. 😉
Enjoy your friend’s visiting and have a great time! 😉
I love chawanmushi and this looks so beautiful 🙂
Chawanmushi looks so beautiful! love the way you presented and carrot flowers add more beauty!
Nami, I have never heard of this before but it looks beautiful. You are so creative and I just love your photos. Enjoy your time.
Suzi
I’ve always wanted to try chawanmushi – great step by step recipe.
Your chawanmushi definitely beats any other I’ve seen at the Japanese restaurants so far! Your presentation is so pretty! I am now craving fresh uni!
Nami, this custard looks amazing!! And I really love all those veggies and the cute little carrots!!
yum! this dish was featured in my movie “the people i’ve slept with” and i always wondered how it was made!
Nami everything you make looks beautiful! I love how you use a cutter for the carrot flower! Genius! Your pots are too cute, very Asian =)
Have fun with your friend!
Wow, you are really Japanese!!! I don’t even remember the last time when I had this one……. Needless to say, all my boys never had this Japanese dish ; ) Kyle may actually thinks this is Purin.
This is another dish that I will always order. Sadly, it seems a little bit more difficult to get this dish over here. Yours is the prettiest I’ve ever seen, much nicer than the ones i had better! absolutely lovely! Have a fun time catching up with your friend and have a great weekend!
Hi Nami, I love Japanese cuisine and learning about new dishes I haven’t tried. This looks so good and pretty. I love Asian cuisine for all the attention detail. Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a great visit with your friend.
Also thank you for your sweet comment, it means a lot.
Nami, it looks so beautiful & delicious as usual :o)
How pretty is this?! I love that you even cut your carrots into little flowers! How could you not want to eat this!
What a beautiful little appetizer Nami! And I hope you have fun with your friend =)
Nami your chawan mushi sound so delicious. I never heard of having it with ikura. What a treat! I’m glad to hear youre taking a long weekend. Enjoy!! I’m sure your friend is in for a treat this weekend!
I’ve never had Chawanmushi, but it looks wonderful! I love the colors! Have a great time with your friend!
Nami, this is your masterpiece! What a great dish, I can only imagine it tastes extraordinary. Wow..I really love this! Have fun with your friend, you know we will be waiting for your next great recipe!!:))
These are so pretty Nami! I am sure they taste delicious too! Buzzed, buzzed, buzzed! I hope you have a great time with your friend! I know how exciting it is to have friends visiting you from overseas! 🙂
I love everything about this post…the presentation, the dishes, the meal itself!
Just so easy on the eyes, I can only imagine how good this tastes 🙂
Stunning!
xo Emily
That is SO BEAUTIFUL Nami! I love your chawanmushi, and never thought to make it myself. I should try it, and get these lovely dishware so I can make a pretty presentation too. Wonderful and colorful!
Very interesting recipe! Sounds creamy and light and delicious!
Nami this looks AMAZING!!!! I remember my Mom used to make something similar, but without all the ingredients, just the steamed egg mix, oh this brings back such wonderful childhood memories, a must try! Have fun with your friend, hope you have a great week!
I have never seen this dish before but how stunning, so pretty, amazing job
That one of the loveliest chawanmushi I have seen. Enjoy your visit with your friend. We will be here when you are back.
that looks absolutely beautiful.. healthy too…
i dont have those small dishes to make it 🙁 i know my bf would LVOE THESE!!!!
This is so healthy & colorful custard bowl..I love the way you ve cut the vegetables using flower cutters! I would say that this is something similar to frittata but way healthier..love your white & blue bowls too Nami 🙂
These look so delicious Nami 😀 Yumm
This is a dish I would truly enjoy! I don’t think that I’ve seen it before, but will definitely be keeping my eye out for it.
Congrats on your nomination, Nami!! I’m so excited for you.
And no, it’s not you that’s been out of touch, it been me! I’ve been so busy for the last 4 weeks I haven’t hardly commented at all. I need to read back to when your mom was here! Hope the visit was wonderful!!
Hi Jill! Mitsuba is also called Japanese Parsley and it’s very refreshing and slightly bitter taste just like celery. The stem part is more important than leaves sometimes. It goes really well with some of the Japanese dishes and the taste is sort of irreplaceable.
OMG! I can’t believe how beautiful this looks! They are like a work of art Nami 🙂
The chawanmushi served in restaurants is never as luxurious as this! Yours is loaded with ingredients.
Enjoy your time with your friends 🙂
I’m so intrigued by this dish…it looks delicious! Gorgeous presentation, as always. Hope you have a lovely time with your friend. 🙂
I never ate this but now I am going to order this whenever I go there. The props you used are so cute and it’s a beautiful presentation!
I remember these, so delicate! I have the same carrot cutters, unfortunately I lost one (lent to I don’t remember who…) but they are great!
I have a blog candy on my blog now, if you or your readers are interested, is for my new book Party Food for Girls.
Ciao
Alessandra
This looks delish! I loved the way you cut the carrots! The picture is very appealing and I am sure this custard is yummy too!! I haven’t seen Chawanmushi in the two Japanese restaurants here…maybe I’ll have to try out more Japanese restaurants! Better still, I can make this at home now!!
Gorgeous, gorgeous pictures! Great recipe too! 🙂
They look so pretty. I often made my own dashi and surely it’s MSG free.
This is the most unusual, and the prettiest savory custard I have ever seen, Nami!
Not only the presentation is amazing, but looks liight and delicious:DDD
You did it again…probably another Top 9!
Hugs,
Nami, this is another one of my favorite Japanese dishes to order at a restaurant. After looking at your version though, I wonder what kind of chawanmushi we’ve been eating all this time. Yours look so beautiful and flavorful! I’m going to print this recipe and photo out and bring it to our favorite Japanese restaurant to show them how it’s done ;-).
Nami, I wasn’t online much this week so I only saw this now. It is such a unique and beautiful dish. I love the pretty little cups too! But the way you present every element of this recipe is exquisite. It’s wonderful to have an insight into Japanese cuisine.
What a beautiful dish and so fancy that you would add some salmon roe, I love it. I will definitely try this. Your photos are stunning!
This is my first time visiting your blog as we were both awarded the Versatile Blogger Award from Ann at Cooking Healthy for Me. I’m glad I found you. I’m going to be sure to follow you by email so I can continue to view all your lovely posts.
Hi Nami, I can still remember the first time I tried Chawanmushi when I first moved to Tokyo. I had a hard time finishing it. It was the texture. Something we are not used to in the US.
But after having a few more, I actually started to like the texture and the flavors. Since then, it’s been a non-stop eating adventure in Asia. Many times having to acquire a taste for a dish, and in most cases, persistence leading to obsession. Like I now have for durian.
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
These look too pretty to eat! So lovely and delicious!
Oishii!! Looks really gorgeous and this is my all time favourite Japanese appetiser!
Never heard of this, Nami…but it definitely is so gorgeous and tasty looking! Awesome presentation as always!
Wishing you a very enjoyable time with your friend!
This is such a beautiful dish, Nami! Such care went in to the presentation and its so colorful. I would love to try it as it sounds delicious! Have a great time with your friend!!
I love chawanmushi and I think yours looks better than many Japanese restaurants that I have been to. The uni and ikura adds a beautiful touch and extra decadence too.
Wow! I’ve never tried or heard of this egg custard but it looks fabulous! Flawless job and gorgeous photos too! Thanks for sharing! Love it =]
How cute are your little carrot flowers! They make this look too beautiful to eat.
I am just learning to enjoy eggs ( I hadn’t liked them since childhood and the change is a slow one) but this appetizer sounds great. The custard doesn’t seem like it would be too overwhelming and with all the other little bursts of flavor it just might be up my ally! Either way, it certainly is beautiful!
This looks both beautiful and delicious. I love how well organized your recipes are!
This is one of my favourite Japanese dish! Thanks for the recipe!
So pretty Nami! The photos are gorgeous! They look almost too good to eat!
Your chawanmushi are works of art! Your photography and styling is stunning, Nami -and I’m sure they taste as delicious as they look! Hope you had a fabulous weekend with your friend 🙂
Hope you had a wonderful time with your out of town friend!
this looks wonderful lovely colours
First time I had Chawanmushi was at the New Years Day party of my best friend thirty years ago. Her mother made it…OMG…it was one of the two most fabulous things I had ever eaten. It was the perfect food for a cold winter gathering. You never see it on menus and I never had it while in Japan, not sure why because it is heavenly delicious. Thank you for sharing this especially beautiful version of this most delicate dish.
Hi
I tried the recipe. But I have a problem – after steaming the egg, I find that the chawanshi taste more salty on the bottom of the cup than on the top. Seems like the soy Sauce did not blend well evenly? Can you share how can I avoid this problem?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Z! I made chawanmushi many times but I don’t have any problem with saltiness on the bottom. Maybe mix well until the liquid is all blended? If it bothers then maybe reduce the amount of soy sauce or salt. Or when you eat it, you can scoop from the bottom and mix chawanmushi gently so the flavor is more even. Hope this helps. 🙂
Hi! I always love your recipes 🙂 Can I ask where to get a cheap cup for steaming chawanmushi? Is it available at daiso? And is konbu available at daiso too? Cos I want to make dashi stock ^^
Could you make a video on how to make aijitsuke egg as well? Thanks! :))
Hi Elaine! Thank you so much for trying my recipes. 🙂
Yes, you can find the chawanmushi cups (usually they have a few designs) at Daiso. I had never paid attention to foods in Daiso, but I think they usually sell snacks and believe they don’t have konbu (I could be wrong). You can find konbu at Japanese/Korean or sometimes Chinese supermarkets. Hope you can find it.
About Ajituke Tamago, okay I’ll write it down on my list of requested recipes. Thank you! 🙂
This is my favorite dish to have when I’m in Tokyo. Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Diana! I hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Hi Nami,
I made the chawanmushi and although it tasted great, the egg custard was not as smooth looking as yours. I was wondering if I should try steaming the egg custard the next time. Thanks, Darlene
Hi Darlene! You can steam it too if you have a steamer. My method works for everyone even without a steamer. From what you wrote, it sounds like the heat was strong. You need the LOWEST stetting. If you already tried with the lowest setting, you might want to turn off the heat as it looks like the heat was strong. But try with a steamer first. 🙂
Hi Nami,
Do you think it would be possible to use the steamer function on an Instant Pot to make Chawanmushi? I guess it might need a bit of experimentation to get the timing right.
Hi Alex! I think so! I haven’t done that before, but that’s a good idea… Let us know if your trial works! 🙂
Konnichiwa..
Nami san, would you make a video of Chawanmushi?
Thank you in advance.
Ps: Sorry for my bad english 🙂
Hi Krismiati! I’ll add to my list. 🙂 Your English is excellent! It’s my 2nd language too. 🙂
This recipe is absolutely amazing, Nami! I’ve been toying with the idea of making it because my husband ALWAYS orders this when we go to a Japanese restaurant. Him being Japanese, I was afraid I’d ruin it for him! Haha made this tonight and he asked for more! Another plus is that my mother in law approved!!! She said it was perfect! I’m so excited and my husband says he never has to order it from a restaurant again. Thank you so much for this! So delicious!
Hi Charity! Oh wow I’m so flattered and happy that your mother in law and husband approved of this recipe! Great job!!! I’m happy for you too! 😀 Try with seasonal ingredients – it’s much better than one in the restaurants as you can make your OWN version. 🙂
Thank you for the recipe, chawanmushi was a favorite of mine growing up. I tried this recipe and while the taste was good, my egg ended up somewhat “curdling”. The egg did not have a very smooth texture. I strained the egg before hand through a mesh sieve, so I am not sure what I did wrong. Any ideas?
Hi Maya! From what you wrote, I believe your heat was a bit too strong or/and the cooking time was too long. Hope this helps!
Hi Nami,
Your suggestions were spot on. Ever since, I have been able to make it perfectly!
Yay! Thanks for your update! I’m so glad! 🙂
Video please. I think this pairs well with takikomi gohan (and maybe miso shiro) for a light meal.
Hi Li! Yeah that would be a perfect meal. I’ll think about adding video for this recipe one day. Thank you for your request!
It would be very helpful to know what size cup or ramekin is appropriate for this recipe.
Thank you so much.
Hi Anna! I just measured it and it can hold 3/4 cup liquid. With ingredients added to the cup, you will only need 1/4 to 1/2 cup liquid. Hope that helps!
Thank you, thank you. That is very helpful. Not many of us own chawanmushi vessels but most of us have something that will do the job. For me it was just a matter of knowing the size. .
Hi Anna! I should have written the info, and thank you for letting me know! xo Hope you enjoy the recipe!