Japanese cuisine · Breakfast & Eggs

Chawanmushi with Ginkgo Nuts

Silky steamed egg custard made with dashi and ginkgo nuts, shiitake and a shrimp resting at the bottom of the cup.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 3 eggs
• 480 ml dashi
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 ginkgo nuts (from a jar)
• 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 4 shrimp
• 1 tbsp sake
• 2 spring onions

Instructions

1. Peel the shrimp, remove the vein and marinate with the sake for 10 min.; clean the shiitake, cut off the stems and quarter the caps.
2. Stir dashi with light soy sauce, mirin and salt and let it cool to hand temperature — hot broth would curdle the eggs.
3. Beat the eggs without creating foam, slowly stir in the lukewarm dashi and pass the mixture through a fine sieve twice until smooth and bubble-free.
4. Place one shrimp, two ginkgo nuts and a few shiitake pieces into each of four cups, pour in the egg mixture to 1 cm below the rim and skim off any rising bubbles.
5. Cover the cups with foil and steam over low heat with the lid slightly ajar for 12–15 min., until the surface is set and a clear broth runs out when pierced.
6. Sprinkle with finely sliced spring onions and serve hot with a small spoon — chawanmushi is eaten with a spoon, not cut.