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Bon Appétit

Chawan Mushi with Shrimp and Spring Peas

By Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer

4.2

(3)

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Chawan Mushi with Shrimp and Spring PeasHirsheimer & Hamilton

If you've never made a savory custard, now's the time. Start with this minimal and delicate Japanese version, studded with fresh peas and tender shrimp.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 teaspoons instant dashi powder (Japanese soup stock granules)
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup shelled fresh peas (from about 1/2 pound pods) or frozen peas, thawed
12 baby shrimp or 4 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, coarsely chopped if large
4 large shiitake mushroom caps, finely chopped
3 large eggs
2 scallions, whites and pale greens only, thinly sliced
Ingredient info: Dashi powder is available at Japanese markets. Mirin is available at Japanese markets and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine dashi powder, 1 tablespoon mirin, and 2 cups warm water in a medium bowl. Stir to dissolve powder. Transfer 1 tablespoon dashi mixture to a small bowl. Add soy sauce, oil, and remaining 2 teaspoons mirin; set dashi sauce aside. Set remaining dashi mixture aside for custard.

    Step 2

    Set a large bamboo steamer over a large pot filled with 1" of simmering water. If using fresh peas, place in a small wide bowl and set bowl in steamer. Cover and cook until peas are tender, about 5 minutes (if using frozen peas, do not cook). Repeat with shrimp and mushrooms, placing each in separate small wide bowls, and cook in steamer until shrimp are just opaque and mushrooms are softened, about 2 minutes for each.

    Step 3

    Gently mix eggs in a large bowl to blend (do not create bubbles); stir in dashi mixture reserved for custard. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or a 4-cup measuring cup.

    Step 4

    Toss peas, mushrooms, and scallions in a medium bowl and combine. Divide all but 2 tablespoons pea mixture among 6 small heatproof bowls or 8-ounce ramekins (set remaining pea mixture aside for serving); pour dashi custard over pea mixture, dividing evenly. Tightly cover each bowl with plastic wrap.

    Step 5

    Place bowls in steamer, cover, and cook until custard is just set but still jiggles slightly in the center, 10-15 minutes.

    Step 6

    Top custards with reserved dashi sauce, pea mixture, and shrimp.

TagsCustardDessertJapaneseEast AsianAsianPeaBean and LegumeVegetableShrimpShellfishSeafoodSideStarterDinnerDairy FreeSteamSpringBon Appétit

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