Chawan Mushi

Chef Masa Sugita,
Yujiro Japanese Restaurant

Earthy mushroom and salty shrimp dominate in each spoonful of this egg custard. Check out specialty Asian food stores and ethnic-food aisles for Japanese ingredients like dashi and mirin.

Ingredients
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
1/2 tsp dashi (Japanese fish stock)
pinch of salt
3.5 oz chicken breast, cut into six pieces
3 shittake mushrooms, soaked in water for 1 hr and then cut in half
6 shrimp, cleaned and deveined
6 ceramic cups (each holds apprx. 1 cup)

Method

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, water, soy sauce, mirin, dashi and salt. Mix well and strain.
2. In a ceramic cup, add one piece of chicken, mushroom and shrimp. Repeat step with remaining cups.
3. Fill each cup halfway with egg mixture. Cover cups with a lid or plastic wrap.
4. Put cups in steamer and steam in high heat for 10 mins until mixture is soft.

Yields 6 servings