I was inspired to make this recipe after going to eat at a soba noodle restaurant in Dallas. They had a dish in their small bites section that was so simple, yet delicious. The dish, called chawanmushi, is a steamed egg custard. The custard is dairy free and mixes egg with broth to create a light, savory appetizer or side dish. I took the basic idea from this dish, and taught myself how to make it through the Cooking with Dog Japanese cooking show channel on YouTube. (You can see their video for chawanmushi here and their recipe for udon egg custard here.)
This recipe is perfect for a spring meal as it is both warm and light. You will not feel overly full after eating this, so this would be an ideal late dinner or small lunch.
Ingredients
- 1 package udon noodles, cooked
- 2 cups dashi broth (or chicken broth)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tomato, cut into bite-size chunks
- 1 shitake mushroom, sliced with the stem removed
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 small filet of grilled salmon, broken into chunks
- drizzle sesame oil
Step 1: Put a cloth towel on the bottom of a deep-depth frying pan. In a separate saucepan, boil enough water to fill the frying pan half-way.
Step 2: Break up the egg whites with a fork. Then break the yolks and whisk the eggs until they are a homogeneous mixture.
Step 3: Mix the eggs with your broth. Stir well and then run the liquid through a strainer to ensure your mix is completely smooth when cooked.
Step 4: Put your udon noodles, vegetables and salmon into small bowls. Pour the egg liquid over the toppings and into individual serving cups and then top with a drizzle of sesame oil. Cover the bowls securely with plastic wrap. Place them into the cloth-lined frying pan.
Step 5: Pour the boiling water into the frying pan – there should be enough water to cover the bottom 1/2 to 1/3 of the bowls. Make sure that you are pouring around the bowls as to make sure that you do not dilute your egg mixture. Cover the pan with a lid and bring the pan to a rolling boil. When the water is fully boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook another 10-15 minutes. The custard is done when the top is opaque and you can push a skewer into the custard and it is solid.
The Glutton Diaries 