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A colorful cup of Chawanmushi (Japanese Savory Steamed Egg Custard), garnished with mushrooms, herbs, and fish cake, sits on a wooden tray with a red spoon beside it. The lid is slightly open.

Chawanmushi (Japanese Savory Steamed Egg Custard)

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Chawanmushi is a silky Japanese savory steamed egg custard with chicken, fish cake, and mushrooms in a delicate lidded cup. It feels special yet comes together at home faster than you’d expect. I'll walk you through how to steam them with no special equipment for perfect results every time.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 (200-ml) chawanmushi cups

Equipment

Ingredients

Servings: 4 (200-ml) chawanmushi cups

For the Custard

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Gather all the ingredients.
    Note: Cool the dashi stock to room temperature or lukewarm as hot dashi will scramble them.
    Top-down view of Chawanmushi (Japanese Savory Steamed Egg Custard) ingredients on a wooden surface, featuring chicken breasts, eggs, broth, mushrooms, fresh parsley, salt, soy sauce, gingko nuts, fish cake slice, and small glass bowls.

To Mix the Custard

  • Crack and weigh 3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) in a measuring cup or bowl on a kitchen scale. Multiply the egg weight by 2.5 to determine the amount of dashi needed, then add it directly to the eggs.
    Nami's Tip: For example, 150 g eggs x 2.5 = 375 ml dashi (egg-to-dashi ratio of 1:2.5). To measure the dashi, tare the scale and pour the stock directly into the eggs. I like to weigh and mix everything in a glass measuring cup for easy pouring later.
    Two side-by-side images: On the left, three raw eggs are cracked into a glass measuring cup; on the right, water is poured in with the eggs. These steps are the foundation for making Chawanmushi, a Japanese savory steamed egg custard.
  • Add 1 tsp mirin, 1 tsp soy sauce, and ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt to the egg mixture.
    Nami's Tip: These measurements are based on an egg weight of 150 g—adjust the seasoning to match your egg weight. If available, use usukuchi soy sauce to keep the custard a light color.
    Two-panel image: On the left, hands hold bowls of water and vanilla over a glass mixing bowl with eggs and liquid for Chawanmushi (Japanese savory steamed egg custard). On the right, salt is added. The bowl rests on a light wooden surface.
  • Whisk until the egg whites and yolks are fully combined.
    Two images side by side show hands whisking eggs and liquid for Chawanmushi (Japanese Savory Steamed Egg Custard) in a clear Pyrex measuring cup on a wooden surface. The mixture becomes more blended in the second image.
  • Strain the egg mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl.
    Nami's Tip: Straining removes any unmixed egg whites or lumps for a silky, smooth custard.
    A measuring cup pours a light orange liquid for Chawanmushi (Japanese Savory Steamed Egg Custard) through a fine mesh strainer into a glass bowl; in the second image, the strained custard shows foam on top.

To Prepare the Ingredients

  • Cut 2 chicken tenders into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces. Place in a bowl, add 1 Tbsp sake, and marinate for 10 minutes.
    A hand slices raw chicken breast on a cutting board; on the right, water is poured onto chicken pieces on a metal tray, prepping them for Chawanmushi (Japanese Savory Steamed Egg Custard).
  • Cut 8 slices kamaboko (fish cake) thinly. Trim the roots from 1.8 oz shimeji (brown beech) mushrooms and separate them into small clusters.
    A split image shows hands slicing pink-edged fish cake on the left and breaking apart clusters of shimeji mushrooms on the right—both classic ingredients for Chawanmushi (Japanese Savory Steamed Egg Custard)—on a wooden cutting board.
  • Loosely knot each stem of the 4 sprigs mitsuba (Japanese parsley). Alternatively, thinly slice the green onion if using instead.
    A person slices the roots off a bunch of cilantro on a cutting board; in the second image, they hold a fresh cilantro leaf and stem between their fingers, preparing garnishes for Chawanmushi (Japanese Savory Steamed Egg Custard).

To Prepare the Hot Water Bath

  • Place the chawanmushi cups in a large pot and add enough water to reach halfway up the sides. Remove the cups, cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat.
    Two images side by side: left shows four small bowls with colorful lids in a pot; right shows two foil-covered bowls gently steaming in water—likely preparing Chawanmushi, a Japanese savory steamed egg custard.

To Assemble the Cups

  • Layer the chicken on the bottom of each cup, then add the shimeji mushrooms and ginkgo nuts (if using).
    Four small patterned bowls are shown. On the left, a hand uses chopsticks to add raw chicken for Chawanmushi. On the right, the bowls are topped with assorted mushrooms and ginkgo nuts, ready for this Japanese savory steamed egg custard.
  • Arrange kamaboko and mitsuba (or green onion) on top. Pour the egg mixture until each cup is 80% full, leaving the top ingredients partly visible. Skim any air bubbles from the surface with a spoon or skewer.
    Nami's Tip: Air bubbles create a rough texture on the finished custard.
    Four decorative bowls filled with assorted vegetables and herbs. On the right, a light orange broth is being poured into one bowl, preparing a colorful and appetizing Chawanmushi (Japanese Savory Steamed Egg Custard) dish.

To Steam the Chawanmushi

  • Bring the pot of water back to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat. Keep the water between 176–194ºF (80–90ºC) throughout steaming.
    Carefully lower the cups into the water, cover with their lids, and set the pot lid slightly ajar. Steam for 20 minutes, or 15 minutes if you omitted the chicken.
    Nami's Tip: Monitor closely—cup sizes and thickness affect cook time. Do not let the water boil, or the custard will turn rough and pitted instead of silky smooth.
    Left: A hand places patterned ceramic bowls for Chawanmushi (Japanese Savory Steamed Egg Custard) into a pot. Right: A hand holds a red cloth while placing a lid on a black La Cocotte pot on the stove.
  • Test doneness by inserting a skewer into the center: clear liquid means it's ready. Tilt to confirm the custard is set throughout, then carefully lift the cups from the water.
    Nami's Tip: I removed the lids first and lifted out the cups with a hot plate gripper.
    Two side-by-side photos show traditional Japanese cups used for Chawanmushi (Japanese Savory Steamed Egg Custard). The left image captures liquid being poured into a cup; the right shows a hand using tongs to remove a cup from the pot.

To Serve

  • Place the lids back on. Serve the chawanmushi hot or warm with a small spoon.
    A close-up of a traditional Japanese cup containing Chawanmushi (Japanese Savory Steamed Egg Custard) with mushrooms, herbs, and a pink garnish, sits beside three matching lidded cups on a wooden surface.

To Store

  • Refrigerate leftovers in their cups for up to 2 days. To reheat, steam for 2 minutes until warmed through.

Notes

Variations and Customizations

Nutrition

Calories: 96kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 157mg, Sodium: 397mg, Potassium: 195mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 211IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 1mg

The nutrition facts shown are generated by an online calculator and are estimates only. Please consult a professional nutritionist for specific dietary needs.

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