Original: English

Chilled Savory Egg Custard (Chawanmushi)

by 料理研究家ゆかりのおうちで簡単レシピ / Yukari's Kitchen

Easily made in a pot without a steamer, this chilled savory egg custard is perfect for summer. Its jiggly, smooth texture is addictive. Serve with a Japanese-style jelly for a restaurant-like experience at home.

Steps

In a pot for the jelly, combine 250ml Water, 1 tbsp Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine), 1 tsp Sugar, Pinch of Salt, and 1/2 tsp Dashi Powder. Heat over flame, stirring occasionally until boiling.
🕒 02:25
Once boiling, simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Key Tip: Thoroughly evaporate the alcohol from the mirin.
🕒 02:42
After removing from heat, let it cool for about 10 minutes. Key Tip: If the mixture is too hot, the gelatin won't set properly, so always let it cool down.
🕒 02:52
Once cooled slightly, add 5g Powdered Gelatin directly to the pot and mix well until dissolved. Key Tip: Be careful not to let it cool too much, or the gelatin won't dissolve.
🕒 03:09
Once the gelatin is dissolved, pour into a tray, let it cool further, then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours until set.
🕒 03:28
Cut off the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and slice them.
🕒 03:47
Cut the chicken thigh into bite-sized pieces.
🕒 04:10
Place the sliced shiitake mushrooms, chicken, and 10 Edamame Beans into the chawanmushi serving containers.
🕒 04:18
Crack 1 Egg into a bowl and whisk well.
🕒 04:27
Add 1 tbsp Shiro Dashi (White Soy Sauce Base) and 150ml Water to the whisked egg and mix thoroughly.
🕒 04:35
Strain the mixed egg liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Key Tip: Straining results in a very smooth texture.
🕒 04:44
Pour the strained egg mixture into the containers with the ingredients and cover with aluminum foil (or the container lids, if available).
🕒 05:05
Place the chawanmushi containers into a pot and add water to about half the height of the containers. Remove the containers and bring the water in the pot to a boil.
🕒 05:22
Once boiling, turn off the heat, place 2-3 sheets of kitchen paper at the bottom of the pot. Key Tip: Placing kitchen paper prevents the containers from moving and banging. A clean cloth can also be used.
🕒 05:43
Return the chawanmushi containers to the pot with the kitchen paper and turn the heat back on.
🕒 05:58
Once the pot starts simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover, and steam for 8 minutes. Key Tip: Steaming time may vary depending on the material and thickness of the container, the temperature of the custard, and the pot size, so adjust as needed after 8 minutes.
🕒 06:08
After 8 minutes, turn off the heat, open the lid. Carefully remove the aluminum foil (beware of steam) and tilt the chawanmushi to see if the custard flows out. Key Tip: If the custard flows, re-cover with aluminum foil and steam for a little longer.
🕒 06:38
Once set, cover again and let it sit for 10 minutes to finish cooking with residual heat.
🕒 07:00
After 10 minutes, open the lid and carefully remove the chawanmushi containers (beware of burns). Once cooled slightly, re-cover with aluminum foil and chill in the refrigerator.
🕒 07:09
Once the jelly is set in the refrigerator, break it up with a fork. Key Tip: You will likely have leftover jelly, which can be used for pork shabu-shabu, salads, or as a topping for meat.
🕒 07:41
Place your desired amount of the broken-up jelly on top of the chilled chawanmushi.
🕒 08:07
Chilled Chawanmushi is complete.
🕒 08:17