Equipment
Ingredients
Egg Base
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 250 ml dashi stock, liquid, cooled
- 10 ml soy sauce
- 5 ml maple syrup
Garnish
- 5 g scallion, thinly sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 101 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 541 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 187 mg
- Potassium
- 283 mg
- Calcium
- 38 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 19 mg
- Phosphorus
- 178 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 84 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.37 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 28 mcg
- Water
- 165 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and gently beat them using chopsticks with a side-to-side zig-zag motion to prevent incorporating air bubbles.
Pour the cooled dashi stock, soy sauce, and maple syrup into the beaten eggs, stirring gently until completely uniform.
Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, dividing it evenly between two microwave-safe ramekins. This crucial step removes the chalazae and guarantees a silken texture.
Cover the ramekins tightly with microwave-safe plastic wrap and pierce one or two small holes in the top to allow excess steam to vent.
Microwave on medium-low, about 30 to 50 percent power, for 3 to 4 minutes. The exact time depends on your microwave. The eggs should read at least 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit for food safety.
Carefully remove the ramekins from the microwave as they will be hot. Let them rest covered for 1 minute to finish setting gently via residual heat, then uncover, garnish with sliced scallions, and serve warm.
Chef's Notes
- Straining the egg mixture is absolutely non-negotiable for achieving a truly silken, traditional chawanmushi-like texture.
- Using chopsticks in a side-to-side cutting motion rather than whisking in a circular motion prevents foam, resulting in a glass-smooth surface.
- Microwave wattages vary wildly. It is always better to slightly undercook and add 30-second low-power intervals than to overcook and inadvertently boil the egg.
- Ensure your dashi is fully cooled before mixing. Warm dashi will prematurely cook the eggs, leading to scrambled bits in your custard.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Best eaten fresh; texture degrades and weeps liquid upon reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently in the microwave at 30 percent power for 1 minute, but fresh is highly recommended.
Troubleshooting
Egg is rubbery or has a honeycomb texture with many bubbles inside
Cause: Microwave power was too high, causing the liquid to rapidly boil instead of gently steam
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Reduce microwave power to 30 percent or use the defrost setting. Every microwave differs, so test with a lower setting first
Custard has watery liquid pooling on top
Cause: Condensation from the plastic wrap dripped down, or the egg mixture was undercooked
Fix: Carefully dab the excess moisture with a paper towel, or microwave for an additional 30 seconds on low if completely liquid
Prevention: Ensure the plastic wrap is tight and vented properly. If undercooked, increase cooking time in 30-second intervals
Cultural Context
Inspired by traditional Japanese Chawanmushi, this quick microwave adaptation captures the essence of a steamed savory custard. The unconventional substitution of maple syrup for mirin adds a unique, earthy sweetness that beautifully complements the deep umami of the dashi stock.
