Chawanmushi

Hot soup would be nice for cold night dinner. Chawanmushi (Japanese Savoury Custard Soup) would be perfect! ‘Chawanmushi’ means ‘steamed in a tea cup’ and it is quite easy to make. Here is my family’s home style Chawanmushi recipe. If you don’t have Dashi Stock, why don’t you use Vegetable Stock or Chicken Stock? Use whatever ingredients you have.
Just remember that you need to make Clear Soup to mix with Eggs. The ratio of the volume of Soup to Eggs is 2.5 to 1. *Note: Less soup means firmer texture.

Makes

4 Servings

Ingredients

4 Eggs

Clear Soup

*Note: *The ratio of the volume of Soup : Eggs is 2.5 : 1. If the volume of the 4 Eggs is 200ml, you need 500ml of Clear Soup.
500ml Dashi Stock
1 tablespoon Mirin
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Soy Sauce

Other Ingredients Suggestion

• Chicken *marinated with small amount of Soy Sauce for a few minutes
• Small Prawns, Small Scallops, Fish, Tofu, Fish Balls, Udon
• Spinach, Shiitake, Enoki, Carrot (*boiled)
*Spinach needs preparation. Wash Spinach well and boil in boiling water until tender. Dip in cold water to stop cooking further, drain well and squeeze to remove excess water. Cut about 4cm.
• Italian Parsley, Shungiku, Mitsuba

Method
  1. Make Clear Soup. Heat Dashi Stock and season with Mirin, Salt and Soy Sauce in a saucepan, and let it cool down to mix with eggs later.
  2. Whisk Eggs in a mixing bowl and add warm Soup gradually and mix well. We are often taught to pour the egg mixture through a fine strainer to make it smooth, but I don’t do that. Remove bubbles from the mixture.
  3. Prepare other ingredients. My method doesn’t pre-cook Chicken or Seafood, so you should use small ones or cut them small. Place the ingredients in small bowls, cups, ramekins or whatever you use.
  4. Pour the egg mixture over the ingredients carefully. Place a young Italian Parsley leaf (Shungiku OR Mitsuba) on top. In Japan, most commonly Mitsuba leaf is placed on top, but we all know it is just too difficult to find in Australia. Italian Parsley tastes very similar.
  5. Heat the steamer and bring the water to the boil. Carefully place the cups in the steamer, cover with the lid, then cook with GENTLE STEAM over LOW heat for 15 to 20 minutes. *Note: You may prefer cooking them in the oven like cooking Creme Brûlée.
  6. Serve them with small spoons.