Kusina / Chris Yokoyama

Easy and delicious, seasonal recipes ni Tita Chris Yokoyama

Here comes autumn in Japan. As autumn is said to be the appetite-stimulating season, various kinds of ingredients are distributed in markets and enliven dining tables. Masarap kumain at masarap magtutulog din during this season. Mukhang it’s hard for me to diet, but well, well, masarap din mamasyal where the bright sunshine abates, golden ears of rice shines brilliantly, and red dragon flies stretch their wings. Autumn is the season full of events and festivals but pandemic is still going on surely a lot of changes, too. Autumn appetite as the Japanese said it is time to enjoy matsutake (pine mushrooms), salmons, ginkgo nuts, sanma (pacific saury), mackerel, seabass, sardine and many other fruits and veggies na mura pa dahil nga tag panahon.

Let’s try cooking Chawan-Mushi (Savory Cup Custard)

Photo by Chris Yokoyama

Ingredients: (serves 4)

Egg stock mixtures (ratio of about 3 soup stock to 1 egg)

Eggs 3 (about 150cc) soup stock 450~500cc Shoyu, salt 3/4 tsp. each Mirin 1tsp. Fillet chicken breast 40g Sake 1 tsp Shrimps 4 small Kamaboko 8 slices Shiitake mushroom 8 slices Boiled ginkgo nuts 8 pieces Mitsuba (trefoil) 6 stalks

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl (don’t froth). Add all the ingredients of A and mix well. Strain this stock mixture.

2. Preparation of the ingredients: Sprinkle the chicken fillet with sake for a minute, de-vein the shrimps, peel leaving the tail part.

3. Place the chicken in serving cups, and gently pour in the egg stock mixture until 70％ full. Transfer the cups to a pre-heated steamer. Steam over a high heat for about 1 min. with the lid slightly askew. Then steam over a low heat for 7 minutes with the steamer completely covered.

4. When the surface of the custard is set, place the shiitake mushroom, kamaboko, shrimps, ginkgo nuts on top of it and pour in the remaining egg stock mixture until 90％ full. Steam over a low heat for 7 minutes with the steamer completely covered.

5. Remove the cups from the steamer, and garnish with the cut mitsuba stalks.

TIPS:

★You can easily cook also using your microwave with AUTOCOOK: CHAWAN MUSHI setting.

★Don’t steam Chawan-mushi over a high heat for a long time, otherwise, it will become spongy.

★To see whether or not the Chawan-mushi is done, insert a toothpick into the center. When it comes out clean, it means that the Chawan-mushi is ready to serve.

★Lily roots, carrots, matsutake mushrooms and shimeji can also be added.

Photo by Chris Yokoyama

photo by Chris Yokoyama

Chris Yokoyama

Jeepney Press