Name: Ho to Make Autumn Inspired Chawanmushi (Savory Japanese Egg Custard Recipe)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 3 Eggs; 1L Cold or Room Temperature Dashi, divided; 2 tsp Soy Sauce; 2 tsp Mirin; 80g White Mushrooms; 15g Shiitake Mushrooms; 25g Oyster Mushrooms; 100ml Dashi (Taken from the 1L of dashi that you made); 25g Sweet Potato; 20g Carrots; 40g Chestnuts, cooked; 50g Chicken Breast; 200ml Dashi (Taken from the 1L of dashi that you made) (for the topping); 1 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce (for the topping); 2 tsp Mirin (for the topping); 1 tsp Cornstarch (for the topping); 1 tsp Water (for the topping)

Ho to Make Autumn Inspired Chawanmushi (Savory Japanese Egg Custard Recipe)

EggAppetizerSide DishAutumnLow CarbHealthy

Chawanmushi is like a soothing, creamy delight – smooth and incredibly versatile. Essentially, it's a savory egg custard with a twist, thanks to some fantastic ingredients.

So, what's the story behind chawanmushi? Well, the name reveals its charm: "chawan" means teacup, and "mushi" translates to steamed. It's a dish that's created with care, gently steamed in these cozy cups.

Now, let's talk about the magic that happens with the custard. It all begins with a blend of eggs, dashi, along with a hint of soy sauce and mirin. However, the real excitement unfolds when you introduce the ingredients.

What makes chawanmushi especially appealing is how adaptable it is to both season and preference. The gentle egg base acts as a canvas, allowing each ingredient to contribute its own texture and aroma without overpowering the dish.

In autumn, ingredients like sweet potato, chestnuts, and mushrooms bring warmth and earthiness that suit cooler weather perfectly. The balance is subtle rather than bold, making chawanmushi ideal as an appetizer or side dish in a larger Japanese meal. It is comforting yet refined, simple in appearance but surprisingly deep in flavor.

Common additions include sliced shiitake mushrooms, plump shrimp, tender chicken, Kamaboko (fish cake), ginkgo nuts, and mitsuba (Japanese parsley). It's like a symphony of flavors in a tiny vessel. This time, we're introducing an autumn-inspired chawanmushi recipe!

Now, let's discuss the cooking process. It's all about precision. Gently pour this luscious mixture into small cups and let them steam softly. This is the secret to achieving that heavenly, velvety texture that chawanmushi is famous for.

But it's not just about the taste; it's a visual masterpiece too. People often garnish it with a sprig of mitsuba or a pinch of grated yuzu peel, turning it into an edible work of art.

Chawanmushi is like a poetic performance in the world of Japanese cuisine. It captures the harmony of ingredients, the changing seasons, and the deep umami of dashi stock. Every bite is like a delicate brushstroke on the canvas of your palate.

Whether you're enjoying it in a traditional setting or with a modern twist, chawanmushi is a culinary treasure waiting to be explored. It's like a whisper of flavor, a miniature masterpiece, and a symbol of the culinary finesse that defines Japanese cuisine. So go ahead, take a bite, and let the subtle beauty of chawanmushi enchant your senses.

Overview

Prep time: 45 minsCook time: 15 minsTotal time: 45 mins

Total servings: 3

Difficulty: Medium

Main Ingredients

Eggs

Dashi (cold or room temperature)

1L, divided

Kayanoya Original Dashi Stock Powder 8g x 30 Packets

Soy Sauce

2 tsp

Teraoka Organic Shoyu Japanese Barrel Aged Soy Sauce 500ml

Mirin

2 tsp

Sugiura Hon Mirin 1 Year Aged Traditional Sweet Rice Seasoning 500ml

White Mushrooms

80g

Shiitake Mushrooms

15g

Sugimoto Dried Organic Japanese Shiitake Mushrooms 70g

Oyster Mushrooms

25g

Dashi

100ml (from the prepared 1L)

Sweet Potato

25g

Carrots

20g

Chestnuts, cooked

40g

Chicken Breast

50g

For the Topping

Dashi

200ml (for the topping, from the prepared 1L)

Light Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp

Teraoka Usukuchi Shoyu Organic Japanese Light Soy Sauce 500ml

Mirin

2 tsp

Cornstarch

1 tsp

Water

1 tsp

Instructions

1) Gathering the Ingredients

Gather the ingredients together. If you haven't prepared your dashi broth yet, now is a good time to do so.

2) Preparing the Steamer

Boil water in a steamer.

Expert's Tip

Don't have time to make dashi from scratch? These dashi packets from Kayanoya are here to save the day! This premium stock powder is also your ticket to crafting the most exquisite Chawanmushi you've ever tasted. With its superior quality and rich flavor, Kayanoya Dashi Stock Powder elevates your culinary experience to a whole new level, making your Chawanmushi an unforgettable masterpiece.

3) Preparing the Egg Mixture

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Prepare your dashi. If you're using packaged dashi, follow the instructions on the package to dissolve the dashi powder in hot water. Once it's ready, transfer the dashi to a jar or stockpot and refrigerate it to cool. You can also make the dashi in advance and store it in the fridge for later use.

Crack the eggs into a separate container and beat them. Measure the volume of the beaten eggs in milliliters (e.g., the eggs weighed 160ml).

In a mixing jug or bowl, combine the beaten eggs with soy sauce and mirin.

Measure out three times the volume of the beaten eggs (e.g., 480ml) of the cooled dashi and add it to the egg mixture. Mix the ingredients thoroughly.

For a smoother texture, strain the egg mixture using a strainer. Set it aside for now.

4) Preparing Toppings for Chawanmushi

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Peel the sweet potato and chop it into small cubes. Thinly slice the carrots.

Next, cut the oyster mushrooms into bite-sized pieces, and thinly slice the shiitake and white mushrooms.

Crush the cooked chestnuts into smaller, bite-sized pieces.

Then, dice the chicken breast into bite-sized chunks.

Season with salt and black pepper according to your taste.

5) Cooking the Vegetables

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Steam the carrots and sweet potatoes. When you can pierce into them easily, they're done. Turn off the heat at this point.

Simmer the oyster mushrooms in 100ml of the dashi.

Tip: Fresh oyster mushrooms contain enzymes that can impact the texture of chawanmushi. To prevent this, it's best to cook the oyster mushrooms first to deactivate these enzymes before incorporating them into your chawanmushi.

6) Assembling the Chawanmushi

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Begin by adding the toppings that tend to sink, such as sweet potatoes, chicken, and chestnuts, into the steaming vessel.

Gently pour the egg mixture over these ingredients until they are well-covered.

Next, arrange the toppings that don't sink, like the mushrooms and thinly sliced carrots.

Continue filling the steaming container with the egg mixture until it reaches the top.

Before steaming, make sure to pop any bubbles on the surface of the chawanmushi for a smoother texture, using a toothpick or a similar tool.

Finally, place the lid on top of the steam bowl. If your steam bowl doesn't have a lid, you can use aluminum foil as a cover. Your chawanmushi are now ready to be steamed!

7) Steaming the Chawanmushi & Making the Ankake Sauce

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Ensure that the water is boiling, and your steamer is ready for action.

Place a lid with a built-in steam vent on top of the steamer. If your pot lid lacks a steam vent, gently tilt it to create an escape route for steam. If the lid doesn't fit securely, you can use a cloth as an extra cover.

Steam the chawanmushi over high heat for approximately 7-8 minutes, followed by an additional 3 minutes on low heat. Please note that the cooking time may vary depending on the size of your steam bowl.

While the chawanmushi steams, you can work on preparing the ankake sauce (a thick starch sauce) that will be used as a topping for the chawanmushi.

In a small pot, combine 200ml of dashi with mirin and light soy sauce. Mix water with cornstarch until it forms a smooth mixture.

Gradually add the cornstarch mixture to the pot, stirring continuously to reach your desired thickness. Avoid adding it all at once.

Mix the sauce well, and set it aside until the Chawanmushi are done steaming.

8) Taking Out the Chawanmushi & Plating

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Your chawanmushi is ready when you notice a glossy golden broth gently oozing from the surface. When tilted, the egg mixture should remain intact without spilling. This indicates that it's perfectly cooked.

Carefully take your chawanmushi out of the steamer and top it with the ankake sauce that we just made. Now it's ready to enjoy!

Tip: If you find the broth appears slightly cloudy when you dig into it, it's a sign that it's undercooked. No need to fret, though! Simply give it another minute in the steamer, or if your bowl is microwave-safe, you can reheat it in the microwave. However, please exercise caution when using the microwave, as chawanmushi can become very hot and there's a risk of it potentially exploding. To avoid mishaps, heat it in short 1-minute bursts while closely monitoring its progress.

Mana Sobral

Mana is a mother of two who is currently based in Toronto, Canada. While she has called Toronto her home for the past 7 years, she is originally from Wakayama. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and gained practical experience working as a dietician in Japan. She is absolutely obsessed with sharing her love for Japanese cuisine. She loves the seasonality of vegetables in Japan and the creativity of plating dishes. She loves writing Japanese recipes and sharing them with people around the world. She prefers to keep her writing style simple and fun, so that everyone, including people who are not particularly keen on reading, can enjoy her articles. In her free time, she loves baking desserts and Japanese breads. She also enjoys participating in Muay Thai classes.

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