Chawanmushi

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 400 ml dashi, kombu and bonito stock
• 10 ml mirin
• 5 ml usukuchi soy sauce
• 2 ml salt
• 100 g chicken breast, finely diced
• 8 ginkgo nuts, shelled
• 4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced thin
• 8 g yuzu zest
• 4 sprigs mitsuba, for garnish

Method

1. 1
   Brew dashi from kombu and bonito; strain and cool to 50°C.
2. 2
   Whisk eggs gently in a bowl until just combined; avoid incorporating air.
3. 3
   Combine cooled dashi, mirin, usukuchi soy sauce, and salt; fold into eggs.
4. 4
   Strain mixture through fine mesh twice to remove bubbles and achieve silky texture.
5. 5
   Distribute chicken, ginkgo nuts, and shiitake among four chawanmushi cups; pour custard to three-quarters full.
6. 6
   Place cups in steaming basket over 65°C water; steam 12–14 minutes until set but still trembling at center.
7. 7
   Garnish with yuzu zest and mitsuba; serve immediately in original cups.