For the warmest and most welcoming appetizer to grace a Japanese meal, it always feels right to start with steaming cups of chawanmushi. Made with a dashi-infused egg mixture with the freshest seasonal ingredients, this Japanese savory egg custard is meltingly smooth and deeply flavored. It is typically cooked in a traditional steamer or in a hot water bath, but if you happen to have an Instant Pot, you can easily make chawanmushi in the electric pressure cooker. When you’re busy making main and side dishes on the stovetop, Instant Pot Chawanmushi is particularly convenient and dependable.
The Perfect Ratio for Egg to Dashi
When you research what’s the best ratio for the egg mixture to dashi in Japanese, most of the websites would mention that the ratio is 1 to 2.5 (egg mixture to dashi by volume). Although it does not have to be exact, it’s good to know the basic ratio to start and you can adjust later as you like. [ml = g]
1 egg (50 ml) – 125 ml dashi2 eggs (100 ml) – 250 ml dashi3 eggs (150 ml) – 375 ml dashi (can make 5 200-ml ramekins)4 eggs (200 ml)- 500 ml dashi5 eggs (250 ml)- 625 ml dashi6 eggs (300 ml)- 750 ml dashi (can make 10 200-ml ramekins)7 eggs (350 ml)- 875 ml dashi8 eggs (400 ml)- 1000 ml dashi
Note: It’s not common to have a kitchen scale (less than $15) in a typical American kitchen, so I try my best to give you the closest measurement possible using a liquid measuring cup. However, sometimes the “perfect” amount could display “between the lines” of the exact measurement. I often feel this could cause subtle differences/improvements in the final taste.
Tips for Soft and Silky Texture for Chawanmushi
1. Strain the egg mixture.
Straining the egg mixture helps separate any stringy egg whites strands so you get a smooth and silky custard.
2. Use gentle steam on the low heat setting.
When your chawanmushi has a porous texture with tiny visible holes, we call them “su”. These holes in the steamed egg custard are the indicator of strong heat or overcooking, hence it’s considered a failure. Your goal is to make chawanmushi without these holes. To achieve that, make sure to keep an eye on the cooking time and heat.
3. Check doneness by inserting a skewer.
If the clear juice comes out, it’s done. If the juice is not clear, you will need to cook it longer.
What if you don’t have an Instant Pot?
Don’t worry! Here are other methods to make chawanmushi:
Stovetop Steamer:
You can use a traditional steamer to make chawanmushi. You do not need to cover the steaming cups in this setting. Instead, you will wrap the steamer lid with a large kitchen towel so that condensation from the lid won’t drop into the chawanmushi while steaming. Place the steamer cups in the steamer and leave the lid ajar to let the hot steam escape. This creates a gentle steaming condition inside the steamer. Cook for roughly 18-20 minutes.
Stovetop Water Bath:
Boil water in a large pot that can fit the steaming cups. Once boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest heat. Gently place the cups inside the hot water and cover the pot with the lid. Cook for 18-20 minutes on the lowest heat.
Steam in the Oven:
Preheat the oven to 350 ºF (180 ºC) and fill a roasting pan (or deep baking dish) with 1″ (2.5 cm) boiling water. Cover the steaming cups with the lid or aluminum foil and place them inside the roasting pan. Cook for 25-30 minutes (cooking time varies based on your oven/steaming cups).
Substitution
Chawanmushi cups – Use ramekins or oven-safe containers. You can use aluminum foil to cover it.Dashi – Do not skip. The flavor of chawanmushi relies heavily on dashi. For vegetarians, you can use Kombu Dashi. I use Awase Dashi (kombu + katsuobushi/dried bonito flakes).Eggs – Try to use good-quality eggs for this dish.Usukuchi (light color) soy sauce – This type of soy sauce is used especially in the west of Japan (Kyoto and Osaka). The light color soy sauce will keep the broth light in color. It is commonly used for dishes like chawanmushi, noodle soup, and clear soup. You can use less regular soy sauce and add a pinch of salt.Mirin – Small amount, but this is one of the essential Japanese ingredients (read here). If you don’t have it, use sake/water + sugar.Chicken thighs – You can use chicken breast or chicken tender. We do not use other types of meat for chawanmushi.Shrimp – You can use other seafood of your choice or skip it. If your shrimp are large, cut them in half so they will cook faster.Shimeji mushrooms – Use your favorite mushrooms.Kamaboko (fish cake) – You can use different types of fish cakes (cut into similar sizes and thicknesses) or skip them.Mitsuba (Japanese parsley) – Use chopped chives, green onion, or a few leaves of cilantro.
The seasonal ingredients in this chawanmushi are a delicious treat, but even if you simplify it, your homemade chawanmushi will still taste wonderfully luxurious. I know you’d enjoy this ethereal egg custard! Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
