Chawanmushi is a small Japanese side dish. Its texture is silky smooth and light with a savory umami flavour.
It's usually served in a smaller bowl than miso soup, but I think that's too small, so I make mine way bigger and use a wide ceramic bowl.
Chawanmushi pairs well with a variety of shellfish and mushrooms. Chanterelles or oyster mushrooms are perfect additions to this dish, which is what I suggest using for this recipe. I like to grill half of the mushrooms to use as toppings and cook the other half with the chawanmushi. The chawanmushi is best cooked in a tiered steamer, like the ones used for dumplings. Alternatively, you can achieve similar results using an oven. For this method, simply place the bowls on a baking sheet, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 25 to 35 minutes or until the eggs are cooked.
SERVES: 2
PREP: 10 minutes
COOK: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 4 eggs
- 2½ cups (625ml) doshi
- 1 tbsp (15ml) usukuchi (light soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp (15ml) mirin
- ½ lb (225g) oyster mushrooms, divided
- 2 tbsp (25ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (15ml) chili oil, plus more to serve
- 8 Jumbo shrimp, 4 peeled and 4 unpeeled
- ¼ cup (40g) cooked, shelled edamame
METHOD
-
Preheat the grill to 400°F (200°C).
-
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the dashi, usukuchi, and mirin, and lightly whisk to combine. Cover and set aside.
-
With your hands, tear any large mushrooms in half. Keep the small and medium mushrooms whole.
-
Grill half of the mushrooms over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Once the mushrooms start to sweat, brush them with soy sauce and chili oil. Continue to cook for 10 to 12 minutes, brushing the mushrooms 2 to 3 times more with soy sauce and chili oil. Transfer the grilled mushrooms to a plate, and set aside.
-
In a wide-bottomed ceramic bowl that can fit into a steamer, place the 4 peeled shrimp, 8 pieces of edamame, and 2 to 4 pieces of the reserved uncooked mushrooms. Pour the egg-dashi mixture over top, filling the bowl. Repeat with another bowl.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Place the steamer onto the pot and set the ceramic bowls within. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Steam for 20 minutes. At the same time, steam the remaining 4 unpeeled shrimp for 10 minutes on the side. Let the bowls cool for 1 to 2 minutes, then top with the grilled mushrooms, the steamed shrimp, and chili oil. Serve hot.
NOTE: the dish can be prepared well in advance to just before the steaming stage. It'sa great dish to serve as the last course of a meal.
Think of this as exactly what Nando’s wishes it was: vibrant spicy chicken with crispy skin served with crunchy fries and a spicy dipping sauce. Piri piri chillies aren’t widely available in Australia, unless you grow them yourself, but bird’s-eye chillies are easy to find and they do the trick.
I don’t remember much about the circumstances of my first cherry clafoutis. But I must have loved the classic French farmhouse dessert, because I’ve been trying to reproduce that first custardy, almond-scented pancake ever since.
Not quite a red curry, not quite a satay, this dish is the best of both worlds, inspired by Thai flavours and it is divine. It’s a throw-and-go recipe and I know we all love those at BOL. Perfect served with creamy coconut rice, some sliced red chilli and flatbreads.
Camellia Punjabi's recipe for the classic North Indian dish of stir-fried peppers with paneer is flavoured with a medley of spices and aromatics and makes for a brilliant vegetarian dish.
‘I always think that canapés should box slightly above their weight – in other words, they need to be vividly flavoured to succeed. Here, the combination of crisp brioche, salty feta, pickled walnuts, figs, honey and thyme is just that. If you like, there’s a recipe for pickling your own green walnuts on page 275 of Rick Stein’s Christmas. You can also make this with slices of goat’s cheese from a log instead of the whipped feta.’
These adorably spooky cookies are the perfect Halloween biscuit, with a perfect chocolate crumb and a coating of marshmallow cobwebs. You can also create a seasonal variation for Bonfire Night featuring a sprinkling of edible gold dust.
This is based on Brie’s great grandma’s recipe, which has been passed down for generations.
This no-bake cheesecake is deceptively easy to make but will make a big impact at your next Halloween party.
Every alpha knows that their pack will wake up ravenous after a night of rocking out under a full moon.
These beautiful little pumpkins are a real showstopper.
This incredibly moist cake harnesses the power of amaro, olive oil, and a little bit of orange for a lovely floral and fruity flavour.
While I’ve always been a fan of the old camp song “On Top of Spaghetti,” I firmly believe that’s the very last place a meatball belongs.
