Chawanmushi (Savory Egg Custard)

Recipe Courtesy of The Shota

We’re excited to share with you a delicious and nutritious recipe for Japanese Chawanmushi (savory egg custard). Chawanmushi is an easy, restaurant-quality dish that anyone can make at home. Developed by Chef Ingi “Shota” Son, chef-owner of The Shota, a Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco, this recipe shows that you can enjoy gourmet food at home without compromising on flavor or affordability.

“Making healthy food choices is critically important for our well-being and we are proud to partner with iHealth’s Unified Care program to create a recipe that will inspire people to eat better,” Chef Ingi shared. 

We hope you have fun making and eating Chawanmushi! You can download a PDF of the recipe here.

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

Egg Custard: 

• 3 eggs (~150mL)
• 1 1/2 cups (375mL) dashi*
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sake 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
  

Truffle Sauce:

• 1 cup (250mL) dashi 
• 2 teaspoon light soy sauce 
• 1 tablespoon mirin 
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 tablespoon potato starch* mixed with 1/2 tablespoon water 
• 2 oz black truffle (chopped)*
  

Special Equipment:

• Wire mesh strainer
• Heatproof ramekins
• Steamer basket 

Directions

Directions for Custard:

1. Place eggs into a medium bowl. 
2. Gradually whisk in dashi, soy sauce, and sake. 
3. Pour liquid through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl and discard solids. 
4. Divide liquid among 4 small heat-proof bowls. 
5. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. 
6. Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a pot fitted with a steamer basket over medium low. 
7. Add bowls to steamer and cover; steam until egg custard is set, about 15 minutes. 
   

Directions for Sauce: 

1. In a small saucepan simmer all ingredients for the sauce except truffle over medium heat, stirring until the sauce thickens. 
2. Turn off heat and whisk in black truffle. 
   

To Serve: 

1. Unwrap egg custard bowl. Pour the truffle sauce over the egg custard and serve immediately.

*Recipe Notes

1. Dashi is a fish and seaweed stock used in Japanese cuisine. You can find dashi soup stock or dashi powder to make broth at well-stocked grocery stores, Asian markets, or online. 
2. You can substitute cornstarch for potato starch.
3. You can replace fresh truffles with porcini powder or cooked shiitake mushrooms; or use prepared truffle sauce instead.

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Estimated Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 95 kcal | Protein: 5 g | Total Fat: 4.5 g | Sat Fat: 1 g | Total Carbohydrate: 8 g | Sugar: 2 g | Dietary Fiber: 0.5 g | Sodium: 850 mg