No steamer needed. Silky smooth. Umami that's off the charts. 🥚
Yes, you can make authentic restaurant-quality chawanmushi right at home!
Did you think making Japanese chawanmushi required a bamboo steamer, a time-consuming homemade dashi from scratch, and perfect temperature control? We're changing that. 🙅‍♀️✨ With just a regular pot, a game-changing technique using "katakuriko" (potato starch) to prevent the eggs from curdling, and reliable shiro-dashi, you can achieve a perfect silky-smooth texture with zero stress.
Miyako Matsuda
PROFILE
INGREDIENTS
SERVES 4
Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings
When scaling the recipe, the ratios of some ingredients may require slight adjustments. Adjust as necessary and season to taste.
- 2 Eggs
- 1 1/4 cup Water
- 2tbsp Shiro Dashi (Japanese white soup base)
- 1tsp Potato Starch (Katakuriko (potato starch))
- 1 oz Carrot (30g or 1/2 medium carrot)
- 2 Snow Peas (Remove strings and slice thinly)
- Protein and other fillings of your choice (Optional: chicken, shrimp, etc.)
DIRECTIONS
- 1
Cut the carrots into flower shapes.
Place the flower-shaped carrots in a heat-resistant container, sprinkle with a little water, cover, and microwave (600W) for 30 seconds.
- 2
Beat the eggs well in a bowl. Add water, shiro dashi, and potato starch and mix well. The potato starch is the secret to a smooth texture!
- 3
Place your preferred protein (optional) at the bottom of heat-resistant ramekins or chawanmushi cups. Pour the egg mixture into the cups through a fine mesh strainer (do not skip this step!). Cover the cups with lids or aluminum foil.
- 4
Place the cups in a deep pot or frying pan. Pour water around the cups (do not pour inside the cups!). Pour until the water level reaches about 1/3 of the height of the sides of the cups. Turn on the heat.
- 5
Once the water boils, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- 6
Turn off the heat. Carefully remove the lids or aluminum foil, and gently place the carrots and snow peas on top to create a flower design. Cover again and let steam with residual heat for another 10 minutes. Enjoy the ultimate silky smooth finish!
RecipeID
1206
Tips & Notes
- We recommend protein ingredients that sink to the bottom, such as chicken.
(Avoiding ingredients that float, like shiitake mushrooms, will make the flower topping look more beautiful!)
- The cooking times listed are based on using a thick, heat-retaining pot like a Le Creuset.
If using a thinner pot, it may take longer than specified.
- Adding potato starch is the secret ingredient of this recipe! It creates a silky texture and prevents the broth and eggs from separating. Easy and worry-free even for beginners!
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"I am a registered dietitian and food coordinator. Drawing on my experience as a nursery school dietitian, I specialize in easy, stress-free home meals that children love, as well as healthy snacks simple enough for kids to make themselves—even while balancing parenting. Past experience: After working as a nursery school dietitian and in product development for a major company, I now offer menu planning, recipe development, food photography, and styling for corporate clients, while also running my own snack-making class, Happy Times. Other qualifications: Certified Soy Milk Meister “Pro” (Japan Soymilk Association) Certified Rice Flour Snack Meister and Rice Flour Chiffon Meister (Japan Easy Snack Meister Association) About Happy Times: A small-group snack-making class focused on gluten-free and vegan menus using rice flour."