Japanese cuisine · Breakfast & Eggs

Tamago Dofu

Silky-set egg custard of egg and dashi, served cold with a thickened sauce and wasabi.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 4 eggs
• 400 ml dashi
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 100 ml dashi for the sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce for the sauce
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp wasabi
• 1 spring onion

Instructions

1. Stir the 400 ml dashi together with mirin, 1 tsp soy sauce and salt, and let it cool completely to room temperature — warm broth would curdle the egg instantly.
2. Whisk the eggs smooth without forming foam, slowly stir in the cold dashi and pour the mixture through a fine sieve twice so the custard turns completely smooth later.
3. Fill the mixture into four small cups or bowls, skim off any foam with a spoon and cover each cup with foil.
4. Set the cups in a pot with 2 cm of boiling water, cover and steam gently over the lowest heat for 20–25 min., until the custard is just set and only slightly wobbly — too high heat leaves it riddled with holes.
5. For the sauce, bring the remaining dashi to a boil with 1 tbsp soy sauce, stir in the cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water and let it thicken clear for 1 min.; then let it cool.
6. Chill the cups for at least 2 hours, pour over the cold sauce before serving and top with a dab of wasabi and spring onion rings.