Master the ultimate Japanese dish “Chawanmushi” today. Silky smooth savoury soft egg custard subtly and delicately flavoured, yet packed with Umami. Furthermore, this sophisticated dish can be cooked in 30 minutes.

What is Chawanmushi ?

Chawan(tea cup) mushi(steam) literally means teacup steamed egg custard. Unlike other egg custard, Chawanmushi is not sweet but it has savoury flavour packed with umami from dashi stock and topping ingredients.

What the Egg mixture is flavoured with?

The Egg mixture making Chawanmushi only requires 4 ingredients – eggs, dashi stock, soy sauce(usukuchi), and mirin. If you like softer texture Chawanmushi, the perfect ratio of eggs to Dashi stock is 1 to 3. For example if your egg weigh 50g, you need 150ml of dashi stock. If you like harder texture Chwanmushi, change the ratio to 1 to 2.5.

Topping suggestions

It is typically topped with fish cakes either (Naruto or Kamaboko), Shiitake mushrooms, Ginnan (Ginkgo nuts), and shrimps or chicken meat. Also wilted spinach or parboiled broccoli and decoratively cut carrots will add striking colour.

What is Ginnan?

Ginnan is Ginkgo nuts in English. It is seeds of Ginkgo tree and it has whitish coloured shell and yellow flesh. It has a delicious nutty flavour and often used as an ingredient in Japanese dishes such as Takikomi Gohan and Chawanmushi. Luckily I found it in dried form in a packet at a local Japanese grocery store. You can purchase dried gingko nut online too.

What is Naruto and Kamaboko?

Both Naruto and Kamoaboko are fish cake but in different shapes. Naruto has a pink spiral pattern which resembles the Naruto whirloops in the Naruto Strait. You have probably seen this fish cake in any Ramen dish as it is often used for a ramen topping.

Japanese tea cups to cook in

In Japan, Chawanmushi is very popular and often cooked at home in a special dish. It is teapot shaped and special Japanese pottery. They are commonly and readily available to purchase. They come with a little individual lid too.

I don’t have those pretty cups to cook

Like me and those who live outside of Japan, it is not possible to get those special pottery just for Chawanmushi. You can use ramekins or small mugs instead. Use whatever you have. I use my real tea cups I brought to Australia from Japan. Or if you really want one, you can purchase online Chawanmushi Lidded Bowl

Tips to make Chawanmushi successfully

Although Chawanmushi is a fairly simple dish, the common failure in making it gives a porous and spongy texture. Follow the tips below to make perfect silky smooth Chawanmushi!

1. Try not to aerate the eggs too much.

Because if you aerate the eggs too much it will make the Chawanmushi porous. So when you add Dashi stock to eggs, try not to over mix.

2. Drain the egg and dashi stock mixture with a sieve.

This one extra step makes it super silky.

3. Steam with gentle heat

Most importantly, if the steam is too strong this will make a porous and spongy egg custard. Keep a temperature of 70-80°C (158-176°F) which will coagulate the egg inside the steamer.

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Here are my instructions for Chawanmushi. So if you like it, please rate it and leave a comment or any questions below. And don’t forget to check out my other Japanese classic recipes such as Saba misoni (makarel simmered in miso) Simmered Pumpkins.