Chawanmushi

Delicate and savory, Chawanmushi is a classic Japanese steamed egg custard served in a small cups with lids as a cold or hot appetizer. There are many interesting variations and seasonal ingredients such as gingko nut, shiitake, chicken, shrimp, fish, carrot, etc. Highly customizable, this dish can be homey or fancy depending what goes into it. For a luxury version, try chawanmushi with uni (sea urchin) and ikura (salmon roe) on top. Gin-an sauce is a slightly thick, almost transparent dashi-based sauce, whose name literally translates as “silver sauce.” Gin-an is often used in traditional Japanese dishes; its delicate transparency and subtle flavor complement the main ingredient of the dish. Gin-an is frequently poured over dishes to enhance their visual appeal and taste without overpowering them. It is usually made from a base of dashi stock, seasoned with soy sauce, mirin, and salt, and then thickened with a starch slurry, such as katakuriko (potato starch) or cornstarch. Kappo Kappo served crabmeat gian-an.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Prepare the steamer and cups. Start boiling water.

Step 2

Using chopsticks, combine an egg with seasoning(s) and strain the mixture through a fine sieve.

Step 3

Gently pour the egg mixture into the cups. Cover with plastic wrap.

Step 4

Place the cups in a steamer and steam for 15 min over medium heat.

Step 5

In a small saucepan simmer the ingredients for the gin-an sauce briefly over medium heat, stirring until the sauce thickens. Note: It is convenient to make a small amount of the sauce in a cup using microwave. It takes about 1 min to make 50g of sauce.

Step 6

Remove the cups from the pot and carefully remove the plastic wrap. Pour some sauce on top of the cooked custard and arrange other toppings. Save hot, warm, or cold.