June 24, 2008

Chawanmushi/茶碗蒸し







It was a slow day today, so I decided to make chawanmushi for supper, and started making it aroud four o'clock.
I searched the fridge for appropriate ingredients, and decided to use fake crab meat, chicken breast, menma (seasoned bamboo shoots), and shiitake.
今日は暇な一日だったので、夕飯に茶碗蒸しを作ろうと思い、4時頃、作り始めました。
適当な食材はないかと冷蔵庫の中を探して、かにカマ、鶏の胸肉、メンマ、シイタケを使うことにしました。

The basic recipe is:
2 large eggs
400 ml dashi
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp mirin
Touch of salt
基本のレシピーは:
卵L2
出汁400 ml
しょう油小1
みりん小1
塩少々
This recipe will result in an egg-to-dashi ratio of 1:4, which is common for chawanmushi, but I adjusted the recipe for a ratio of 1:3 by using 3 eggs (180 ml when broken and beaten) and 540 ml of dashi. I had found a site on which the chef said that she preferred a 1:3 ratio, and I wanted to try it.
このレシピーでは、卵と出汁の割合は1:4になり、これは茶碗蒸しでは一般的です。しかし、私は卵3つ(割って溶くと180 ml)と出汁を540 mlを使って、割合を1:3にしました。1:3の割合のほうが好きというシェフのサイトを見つけ、それを試したかったからです。

Cut chicken breast into small chunks and season with soy sauce and sake.
鶏の胸肉は小さく切り、酒としょう油で味付けします。

Combine beaten eggs with dashi and seasonings, mix well, and strain before pouring into individual cups.
溶き卵と出汁と調味料を合わせて、よく混ぜ、漉してから、各茶碗に注ぎます。

First, set the stove to high. When the steamer comes to a boil, keep heating on high heat for 2 min. and then turn the stove to low. Keep heating for another 10-13 min.
最初に強火にします。沸騰したら、強火のまま2分間加熱します。それから弱火にします。さらに10~13分加熱します。

Top each cup with mitsuba.
各茶碗にミツバをのせます。

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hiroyuki, Kuma here from E-gullet.

Just wondering how the 1:3 ratio worked for you? I imagine it was more solid than silky, yes?

Hiroyuki said...

Sorry for a late reply. I noticed your comment only today (Dec. 29)!
I was unable to tell a major difference between 1:3 and 1:4 chawanmushi. 1:2 chawanmushi may differ in texture from 1:4 one.