The ratio is everything: 1 egg to 180ml dashi. Too much egg and the custard becomes rubbery. Too little and it won't set. Get the ratio right and the custard will barely hold its shape when the lid comes off.
What You Need
Custard:
- 3 large eggs
- 540ml dashi (1.8:1 dashi-to-egg ratio)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp mirin
- ½ tsp salt
Fillings (per cup):
- 1 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 shiitake mushroom, thinly sliced
- 2-3 leaves mitsuba or flat-leaf parsley
- 1 small piece kamaboko (fish cake), sliced — optional
How to Make It
Make the custard: Whisk eggs gently — no foam. Add room-temperature dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and salt. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. This removes chalazae and produces a perfectly smooth custard.
Fill the cups: Divide fillings among 4 chawan (or any heatproof cups with lids). Pour strained custard over fillings, filling to about 85% full. Skim off any surface bubbles with a spoon or kitchen torch.
Cover: Place lids on cups (or cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil).
Steam: Set cups in a steamer over simmering water. Steam on low heat — you want a barely-visible steam, not vigorous boiling. High heat creates air bubbles (す, "su") throughout the custard.
Steam 12-15 minutes until the custard is just barely set — it should wobble like a soft panna cotta when gently moved.
Test: Insert a skewer — it should come out clean, with no liquid. The surface should look smooth and unbroken.
Serve immediately in the cups.
From our Tokyo Meets Tuscany collection.