Chawanmushi

Recipe from Zaiyu Hasegawa

Adapted by Ligaya Mishan

Updated April 23, 2025

Chawanmushi
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop Stylist: Sophia Eleni Pappas.
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(70)
Comments
Read comments

This creamy yet delicate half-custard, half-flan is an elegant start to a meal. Zaiyu Hasegawa, the chef of Den in Tokyo, beats the eggs — just half an egg per person — with dashi, a stock of kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (bonito flakes) that brings a mellow brine and a tinge of smoke. The eggs and dashi, now one, are run through a sieve for smoothness, and seasoned with usukuchi, a lighter-bodied and slightly saltier soy sauce with a tart finish. Pour the mixture into teacups or ramekins and let it steam on the stovetop. While some recipes call for a higher ratio of liquid to egg, here the egg, the richest ingredient, comes to the fore. As a grace note, Mr. Hasegawa suggests a purée of celery root melted down with butter, earthy-sweet. Spoon it on top once the custard has set. With the first bite, the faint chewiness of the celery root gives way to silk and surrender. —Ligaya Mishan

Featured in: The Most Luxurious Use of Eggs, by Way of Japan

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Ingredients

Yield:4 small appetizer servings

    For the Optional Celery Root Purée

    • ½small celery root (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into large chunks
    • ½cup unsalted butter

    For the Chawanmushi

    • 2large eggs
    • ⅓cup/80 milliliters katsuo dashi (bonito stock), cooled
    • ½teaspoon usukuchi (light-colored) soy sauce (see Tip) 
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

263 calories; 26 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 5 grams protein; 154 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    If desired, prepare the celery root purée: In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the chopped celery root and just enough water to cover (¾ to 1 cup). Be careful not to add too much water, which would dilute the flavor. Add the butter. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer briskly until the celery root is tender and most of the water has evaporated, about 20 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Transfer the celery root to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth, adding only enough of the remaining cooking liquid to achieve your desired consistency. Set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Prepare the chawanmushi: In a small bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly, then gradually add the katsuo dashi in two batches, mixing well after each addition.

  4. Step 4

    Strain the egg mixture through a fine sieve for a smooth texture. Season with the soy sauce and mix gently. Divide the mixture among four small (½ cup or less) ramekins or teacups without handles. Cover each ramekin tightly with plastic wrap.

  5. Step 5

    Boil about 1 inch of water in a large pot. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer and carefully place the ramekins directly in the hot water or in a steamer basket over the water. Cover the pot with a lid, but leave it slightly ajar. Let steam until set, about 12 minutes (if steamed directly in the pot) or about 18 minutes (if in the steamer). To check the chawanmushi for doneness, insert a skewer, which should come out clean.

  6. Step 6

    Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the celery root purée, if using, on top of each serving of chawanmushi. Serve immediately.

Tips
  • Katsuo dashi is a smoky savory broth made from just two ingredients, kombu (dried kelp) and katsuobushi (smoked, dried bonito flakes), steeped in water. Look for dashi stock base in Japanese markets or online or make your own.
  • Usukuchi soy sauce is lighter in color — but not in sodium — than dark soy sauce and can be found in Japanese markets or online. It’s slightly saltier than dark soy sauce and is often used to flavor dishes where a dark soy would stand out.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
70 user ratings
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Comments

Tina

No, the plastic wrap stays on until the steaming is finished. You can also use a foil lid. The plastic/foil lid prevents condensation from getting into the custard, marking the surface with irregularities.

LBSF

The texture and flavor turned out great. I missed the detail about plastic wrap so skipped that. No regrets - plus less microplastic in my food. Next time I’ll double the recipe and add more liquid for a true 4 serving yield. As written, I could have filled one 4” ramekin with the egg mixture but chose to split across two.

Bob Sutis

Thanks for the tip. And for others, i don't know why 1/2 pound of butter is needed for the celery root. Perhaps 1/4 cup. And the recipe also call for too much water. 1/4 cup is all you need on a low simmer for 20 minutes as the celery root releases a lot of water.

FrankW

I missed the part about plastic wrap and it wasn’t needed plus I really don’t need more plastic in my life, all turned out fine. I had no celery root and subbed in Daikon radish to great success. This was so delicious and fine and interesting I’m having some smoother for breakfast! Wow!

FrankW

@FrankW. I change my mind since I’ve made this now 3 times, once with lid on tight no cover, lid ajar no cover, and finally lid ajar with with foil cover and the last one was by far the better one. In fact the texture and consistency of the egg mix went from spotty with many rough small craters (air bubbles) with a spongy texture. While with the cover on it took the full 18 minutes to steam with the lid ajar but the egg mixture both in look and feel on first bite was silky smooth even sublime. The subtle flavors combine well and I used puréed Daikon Radish instead of celery root and yes there was room for the sweet peppery flavors.

Neil

The chawanmushi that I remember having in various places in Japan in the early 90s always had bits of seafood in it. It wasn't just a plain custard.

Michael

Really 5 min prep Oh wait I just found my dashi stock in back of the fridge

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Credits

Adapted from Zaiyu Hasegawa, Den, Tokyo

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