Nourishment for the mind and soul

You could learn a lot by reading, of course, but reading a restaurant menu?  That's how I learned about the velvety Japanese steamed egg custard called chawan-mushi, pronounced cha-WON-mus-shi or 茶碗蒸し, and literally means steamed in a tea bowl.



Chawanmushi My Way

Chawan-mushi is usually eaten as an appetizer.  Typical ingredients include shiitake mushrooms, a shrimp or two, perhaps a bite size piece of chicken, crab meat, and I believe always a gingko nut.  The egg custard is flavored with dashi, mirin, and steamed in a tea-cup-like container under very low heat.  Done right, it is ethereal and nourishing.

I don't have the fancy porcelain tea-cup-like-containers that come with a lid, so ramekins will have to do.  I was so enamored by this dish that I made it for Akiko, our Couch Surfer friend from Japan...and received glowing remarks.  It reminded her of her mother's cooking, Akiko complimented.  I was relieved and excited.  You can order chawanmushi at some Japanese restaurants, but be patient.  It takes 20-30 minutes to prepare.  It is always made to order - perhaps one reason most restaurants simply don't make them.  

Truth be told, it's extremely easy to make.  This has now become one of our favorites at home. If you enjoy egg custard, I think you'll also find this delicious and nourishing.  

Adapted from A Gift of Japanese Cooking by Mifune Tsuji

Ingredients

4 medium shrimp

4 gingko nuts (optional)

slices of carrots

2 oz chicken breast (marinate in 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp sake or mirin)

2-3 shiitake mushrooms or crimini mushrooms

8 snap peas or pea pods
snow crab meat

green onions

For the custard

3 large eggs, beaten

2 cups dashi stock* or chicken stock

(ratio of eggs to dashi stock or chicken stock is 1:3.  The 2 cups measurement is for reference)

1 tsp sake or mirin

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp salt

Water for steaming

Method: 

1. Cut chicken into small bite size cubes and marinate in sake and soy sauce for 15 minutes

2. Cut carrot slices in small coins or any pretty shapes. Blanch carrots and snap peas and set aside

3. Place egg custard ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well and strain.  Bring a steamer to boil and then set the heat to very low so the water is barely simmering.

4. Divide the chicken, mushrooms, prawns, carrots, crab meat, snap peas among ramekins

5. Divide the egg mixture among the ramekins.  Put green onion on top and cover tightly with foil.

6. Steam on low heat until the custard is set, about 15-20 minutes.  Remove foil and garnish with additional green onion and crab meat on top.