Chawanmushi (Japanese Savory Steamed Egg Custard)

Place the chawanmushi cups (holds up to 200ml) inside a large pot. Pour enough water to reach halfway up the sides of the cups, then remove the cups.

Cut the chicken thigh into half-inch strips, then cut the strips into small, slanted pieces (sogigiri) by holding the knife at a 45-degree angle.

Place the cut chicken in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of sake. Coat well and set aside for 10 minutes to marinate.

Cut 8 thin slices of kamaboko fish cake.

Trim off the bottom of the shimeji mushrooms and separate them into small clusters.

Make a knot with a stem of mitsuba (Japanese parsley). If mitsuba is unavailable, use thinly sliced scallions.

Place a measuring cup on a kitchen scale. Crack 3 large eggs into the cup and note their weight. Multiply the egg weight by 2.5 to determine the required amount of dashi stock (e.g., 155g eggs x 2.5 = 388ml dashi).

Add 1 teaspoon of mirin, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt to the egg and dashi mixture in the measuring cup.

Whisk the egg mixture well to ensure the egg whites and yolks are fully combined with the seasonings.

Strain the egg mixture through a fine mesh sieve into another bowl to achieve a refined, silky texture for the custard.

Bring the water in the large pot (prepared in step 1) to a boil.

Divide all the prepared ingredients equally into the chawanmushi cups. First, add the chicken in a single layer, then the shimeji mushrooms, and finally the kamaboko fish cake slices.

Gently pour the strained egg mixture into the cups, filling them about 80% full. Some of the top ingredients might remain uncovered.

Place the mitsuba or chopped green onions on top of the egg mixture in each cup.

Remove any air bubbles from the surface of the egg mixture using a spoon or by popping them with a skewer or kitchen torch.

Once the water in the pot is boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Carefully place the filled chawanmushi cups into the hot water and put their lids on. If cups don't have lids, cover them with aluminum foil to prevent water vapor from dripping in.

Cover the large pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar to maintain a cooking temperature of 180-190°F (82-88°C). Gently cook for 20 minutes on the lowest heat. Note that cooking time may vary depending on the cup size.

To check if the chawanmushi is done, insert a skewer in the center of the steamed custard. If clear liquids come out, it's done. Alternatively, it's done if the custard is set when you gently tilt the cup.

Carefully remove the cups from the hot water using a hot plate gripper or tongs.

Serve chawanmushi hot as an appetizer or side dish. Enjoy!