Paleo Chawanmushi (Savory Egg Custard)
Inside these savory Japanese steamed egg custards, you’ll find a treasure trove of ingredients: diced seafood, poultry, and veggies. With just a few adjustments, I’ve come up with a flavor-packed Paleo version of chawanmushi that you can steam on the stove, bake in a water bath, or pop into a sous vide cooker.
Servings: 5 people
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups organic chicken broth bone broth, or homemade dashi
- 5 teaspoons coconut aminos divided
- 1½ teaspoons Red Boat fish sauce divided
- 4 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 ounces shrimp cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 medium shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced
- Freshly-ground pepper
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
Instructions
- You’ll need a bunch of 8-ounce cups or ramekins for this recipe. Try to get pretty ones. We have a set of Japanese tea cups with lids, which are perfect for this recipe. After all, “chawan” literally means “tea cups” in Japanese (and “mushi” means steaming.)
- Put a steamer insert into a large stockpot and add water until it’s just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring the water to a boil on the stove, and then turn down the heat to medium. The water should be at a constant simmer.
- Crack the eggs in a medium bowl, and add the salt. Whisk until well-mixed.
- In a separate measuring cup, combine the chicken broth, 1 tablespoon of coconut aminos, and 1 teaspoon of fish sauce. Pour the broth into the beaten eggs and mix well.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large measuring cup to filter out the eggy goo and froth.
- Combine chicken, shrimp, and mushrooms in a small bowl and add 2 teaspoons of coconut aminos, ½ teaspoon of fish sauce, and some freshly-ground black pepper.
- Mix everything together and set the bowl aside.
- Grab the 8-ounce cups or ramekins and put a heaping tablespoon of the meaty filling in each one.
- Pour the egg mixture into each cup. Stop when you’re a half-inch from the top.
- Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Place the cups on the steamer insert in the pot*, making sure to keep the liquid level.
- Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- The custards will be quivery and delicate to the touch. They should be set, but when you pierce the top, the chawanmushi’s texture should be almost soup-like. Don’t let these babies get cold – serve ‘em immediately, topped with sliced scallions and minced cilantro.
Notes
*Looking for a different way to cook these custards? Check out these two alternative techniques:
- Mod #1: If you can’t fit the cups in a steamer, cobble together a bain marie: Put the foil-covered cups or ramekins in a towel-lined baking dish filled halfway up with boiling water, and stick it in a 425°F oven for 30 minutes.
- Mod #2: If you’re feeling particularly fancy, try steaming the cups in a sous vide cooker set at 195°F for 60 to 90 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 5g | Fiber: 1g