> Skip to content

Recipe  •  27 March 2025

 

Chawanmushi

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

  1. Preheat the grill to 400°F (200°C).

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the dashi, usukuchi, and mirin, and lightly whisk to combine. Cover and set aside.

  3. With your hands, tear any large mushrooms in half. Keep the small and medium mushrooms whole.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

Feature Title

Coastal Harvest
Embark on an epic adventure up and down the Pacific Coast to sustainably harvest your own food, master preparation techniques, and make creative dishes.
Read more

More features

See all recipes
Recipe
Mini Chocolate Egg Cookie Pots

If you love your cookies soft and gooey, you'll love Fitwaffle's Easter cookie pots. Studded with Mini Eggs and baked in the air fryer, they couldn't be easier to make.

Recipe
High-Protein Prawn and Chorizo Orzo

This tasty pasta dish from The Good Bite is packed with 28.9g of protein and is well under 500 calories. With plump prawns, smoky chorizo and creamy orzo, it's winner of a healthy midweek dinner.

Recipe
Plant-based Kofte Wrap

This mouth-watering dish is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Recipe
Kadoo Ka Raita

The combination of pumpkin, garlic, roasted cumin seeds, and yogurt is one of my favourite combinations in a raita.

Recipe
Red Lentil Crepes

Switch up your breakfast game with these red lentil crepes - they're thin, protein-packed and incredibly versatile.

Recipe
Spanakopita

Greek spinach and cheese pie that hits the spot

Recipe
Greek Lamb Burgers

Two favourites in one!

Recipe
Okonomiyaki

Japanese fritters that are all about the toppings.

Recipe
Spiced Rum Sticky Toffee Pudding

The iconic sticky toffee pudding gets an upgrade in this recipe from Seema Pankhania that infuses the sponge with spiced dark rum to complement the flavours of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses.

Recipe
Veggie Frittata Fingers

My baked frittata fingers are packed full of important nutrients for developing babies.

Recipe
Fairy Bread

Fairy bread is a treat traditionally served at birthday parties in Australia, but you can make it for yourself as a snack anytime.

Recipe
Lemon and Parmesan Breaded Cod

This delicious, simple breaded cod recipe from The Batch Lady is a healthy twist on this family favourite, with lemon and Parmesan added to the coating for extra flavour.

Looking for more recipes?

See all recipes