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1
Warm the ichiban dashi to 60°C. Season lightly. Beat the eggs thoroughly in a bowl, then pour the warm dashi over the eggs in a slow stream, whisking gently to combine. Add the katakuriko, dissolved in a spoonful of the measured dashi, and stir to incorporate. The mixture is ready when the eggs and dashi have united into a uniform, pale liquid with no visible streaks of albumen.
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2
Pass the egg-dashi mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean vessel. Pass it through the sieve a second time. After the second straining the liquid must be entirely smooth, without foam or undissolved albumen, and perfectly uniform in colour — this is where the dish's final texture is determined. Any residual graininess at this stage will not correct itself in steaming.
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3
Pour the strained mixture into a rectangular wooden or stainless mold. Place the mold in a steamer. Regulate the steam so that the internal temperature does not exceed 90°C — a lid set slightly ajar or a cloth wrapped around it assists temperature control. Steam until the custard is just set: the surface is matte and barely trembles at the center when the mold is nudged gently.
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4
Remove the mold from the steamer and allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for a minimum of two hours. The custard must be thoroughly cold before any attempt to unmold — it will not hold clean edges while warm. When pressed very lightly at the edge with a fingertip it should feel firm and resilient, not yielding.
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5
Prepare the dashi jelly: dissolve agar-agar into warm ichiban dashi, stir until fully incorporated, and allow to cool until just above setting point. Pour the warm jelly over the cold, unmolded tamagodōfu and return to the refrigerator until the jelly has set and is translucent and barely quivering.
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6
To unmold: run a wet knife around the inside edge of the mold. Invert onto a chilled cutting board. To slice into portions, use a wet knife wiped clean between each cut. The blade must be wetted for every stroke — the custard will tear against a dry edge. Each portion should present a clean, smooth face with no tearing.
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7
Plate each portion on a chilled dish. Spoon any dashi jelly over and around. Finish with a dot of wasabi and a small mound of grated daikon. Serve immediately — the dish is at its best when the custard is cold, the jelly still barely set, and the contrast between the silky custard and the cooling gelee is at its most precise.