Rehydrate sliced dried shiitake mushrooms in ½ cup of water and set aside |
Splash Chicken thigh with Sho Chiku Bai sake and set aside |
Crack eggs into a small bowl. Beat well, but avoid making too many bubbles |
Combine awase dashi, salt, Takara Mirin and soy sauce in a large bowl and mix well. If you are using freshly made dashi, make sure it is cooled to room temperature before adding eggs |
While pouring eggs into above large bowl of dashi mixture stir gently to blend all ingredients well. If you prefer a smoother texture, you may strain this egg mixture through a sieve |
Divide chicken, rehydrated sliced shiitake mushroom, spinach, cooked bamboo shoots & crabmeat into 4 equal portions and place one portion into each of the 4 small cups. Next, fill each cup ¾ of the way with the egg & dashi mixture |
Cover each cup with aluminum foil |
For the ginger sauce: Mix corn starch and water and set aside. Combine remaining ginger sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add corn starch & water mixture to sauce and stir well till desirable thickness is achieved |
With heat off, place the 4 cups containing the chawanmushi into a large pot and add water to the pot until the water level reaches half-way up the cups. Remove the 4 cups from the pot, place lid on the pot and bring water to a boil |
When water boils, reduce heat to med-low (to sustain a gentle boil), and place the 4 cups into the pot, being careful of the very hot water. Place lid on pot and cook for 7 minutes |
After 7 minutes, turn off heat completely and leave cups in pot for another 7 minutes |
(You can check the custard with a wooden skewer to see if it’s done. Insert skewer in custard and if it comes out clean, it is ready) |
Very carefully remove the 4 cups from the pot. Cups are HOT! |
Pour a small amount of ginger sauce on top of each egg custard before serving |