Savory cup custard

Savory cup custard (Chawan Mushi)

serves4

• 2 oz. (60 g) chicken leg meat

• 1/8 t. soy sauce
• 1/8 t. sugar

• 4 fresh shrimp (2-1/2 oz. or 75 g)
• 4 small fresh Chinese black mushrooms (shiitake)
• 4 eggs

• 3 c. dashi
• 1-1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. each: light-colored soy sauce, mirin

• 4 slices fish cake (kamaboko; ripple-cut)
• 1 bunch spinach, blanched in boiling water and cut into sections lemon peel, as desired

Directions

Cut the chicken into 8 small pieces and marinate in 1/8 t. soy sauce, 1/8 t. sugar .Remove the shell from the back portion of the shrimp, but leave head and tail intact. Make a crosscut in the center of the mushrooms (illus. 1).
Beat the egg lightly and place in a bowl. Mix in 3 c. dashi, 1- 1/2 t. salt 1 t. each: light-colored soy sauce, mirin and strain.

Divide the ingredients up equally four ways. Place one of the portions in each of 4 steaming bowls (follow this order: chicken, shrimp, fish cake, mushroom). Fill each bowl 4/5 full with the egg mixture. Skim off any foam(illus. 2). Place the bowls in a steamer. After bringing the water to a full boil, steam 1 to 2 minutes over high heat. Turn the heat to low and steam for about 15 minutes. It is important to control the heat source carefully whwn steaming egg. Remove from steamer, place some spinach and lemon piil on top of each, and cover each bowl. Serve.

An electric rice cooker can also be used to make this dish. Add 2 Cups water to the outer pot and steam about d10 minutes after the water has begun to boil. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick or bamboo skewer. If no egg flows out as liquid, it is done. You must either cover the bowls with plastic wrap (illus. 3), or place a white towel or cloth inside the rice cooker cover to prevent the condensed steam from dripping into the egg.