Chawan Mushi (Steamed Egg Custards)

Oct 18, 2024 | Kitchen Culture, Year-Round

Silky, savory egg custards called CHAWAN MUSHI 茶碗蒸し are served in cups with a spoon. The egg and dashi mixture is delicately seasoned with mirin and light-colored soy sauce. Various tidbits such as mushrooms, ginko nuts, chicken, shrimp or kamaboko (fish sausage) can be nestled in the custard. Or a plain custard can be topped with a savory sauce.

Chawan mushi custards are most often served in a restaurant venue as one of many dishes in a formal, multi-course meal. In the home setting chawan mushi would be served on special occasions, demonstrating the culinary prowess of the home cook and his or her commitment to not taking shortcuts.

Try your hand at making chawan mushi DOWNLOAD the recipe.

Visit PROJECT Serving Chawan Mushi for information about cooking and serving vessels.

And, if you haven’t yet read my October 2024 newsletter about CHAWAN MUSHI, check it out.

 

Small Plates

Small Plates

MAMÉ-ZARA   豆皿  (Small Plates) One of the distinctive features of Japanese food arrangement is the use of many small plates and bowls in serving a meal. These vessels are typically varied in appearance (color, shape, design) and generally hold small portions of food...

Seasonal Word Play

Seasonal Word Play

In Japanese, the words for martial spirit (shōbu, 尚武), victory (shōbu, 勝負), and a reed that is a botanical relative of the iris flower (shōbu 菖蒲) make a fortuitous pun. Throughout Japan, during Golden Week, fragrant bunches of shōbu (iris reeds), are sold in...

New Beginings

New Beginings

In Japan, April is the time for new beginnings -- the start of a new school year, a new fiscal year, and changes to many established programs on TV, radio and other media outlets. In tune with this custom, I've made some changes at A Taste of Culture this month. I...

PROJECT Springtime Sweets

PROJECT Springtime Sweets

洋菓子・yōgashiWestern-Style Confectionery Japan's food culture includes ingredients, techniques and dishes that have been adopted and/or adapted from non-Japanese sources.  One large category is confectionery. Earliest influences were from the Portuguese in the 16th...

Recent Posts & Projects