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Cup Custard

Author Lucy Seligman

Ingredients

  • 3 oz. chicken breast meat boned and skinned
  • 1 tablespoon sake
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 4 eggs
  • 2-1/2 cups cold dashi* fish stock
  • 2 teaspoons mirin sweet sake
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 small raw shrimp shelled and de-veined
  • 8 uncooked gingko nuts shelled and peeled or 2 uncooked chestnuts, shelled, peeled, and halved
  • 2 fresh shiitake mushrooms halved
  • 8 fresh green peas parboiled, or 4 snow peas, strings removed, parboiled and halved
  • 4 thin slices kamaboko steamed fishcake

Instructions

  • Cut the chicken into eight pieces and marinate for 15 minutes in the sake and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Drain.
  • Beat the eggs and add the dashi, remaining soy sauce, mirin, and salt. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine sieve. Try to avoid making bubbles.
  • Distribute marinated chicken, shrimp, ginkgo nuts, mushrooms, peas, and fishcake among four custard cups. Pour the strained egg-dashi mixture over it until the custard cups are almost full. If there are any bubbles, prick them with a toothpick.
  • Preheat a steamer. Cover the cups with plastic wrap and steam for 15-20 minutes over medium heat. Check doneness by sticking a toothpick through the center; if egg sticks to the toothpick, continue steaming for a few more minutes. The top of the custard should be smooth and jiggle slightly if touched.
  • When cooked, remove the plastic wrap and place chopped trefoil or spinach in the center. Top with a few slivers of yuzu or lemon peel.
  • *Japan’s basic fish stock made from dried bonito shavings, kelp, or a combination of the two.

Notes

To garnish:
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mitsuba (trefoil) or parboiled spinach leaves
A few slivers of yuzu (Japanese citron) or lemon peel