Chawanmushi (Japanese Steamed Egg Custard) 茶碗蒸

Ingredients:
1. For the Egg Mixture:
4 room-temperature eggs
2 packets (16g) of Japanese bonito dashi
600ml water

2. For the Add-ins:
8 ginkgo nuts (blanched for 10 minutes, set aside)
3 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
8 clams
Narutomaki (fish cake), sliced as needed

Seasoning:
2 teaspoons mirin
2 teaspoons sake
2 teaspoons Japanese soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
A pinch of pepper

Tips:
The ratio of egg to water is approximately 1:2 to 1:3.
Adjust the steaming time based on the thickness of the bowls and size of containers used.
Bonito dashi packets can be purchased at Japanese grocery stores, or you can substitute with clear chicken broth.
Straining the egg mixture removes impurities, resulting in a smoother texture.
Gently beat the eggs to avoid incorporating too much air, which can create bubbles and affect the texture.
Use medium-low heat when steaming and prop the lid open with chopsticks to create a small gap. This prevents (i) the temperature from becoming too high and (ii) condensation from dripping onto the custard, keeping the surface smooth. Otherwise, the custard may become overcooked and develop a sponge-like texture.

材料:
1.蒸蛋部份:
室溫雞蛋4隻 
日式鰹魚湯包2件 16克
水600毫升
2.配料:
白果肉8粒 出水10分鐘 備用
冬菇3隻切薄片
蜆肉8粒
鳴門卷適量 切片

調味:
味醂2茶匙
清酒2茶匙
日式豉油2茶匙
鹽半茶匙
糖1茶匙
胡椒粉少許

貼士:
*雞蛋與水份比例 約1:2至1:3
*蒸蛋時間 因應碗隻厚度和容器大小而調節
*鰹魚湯包 可在日式超市購買 或用清雞湯代替
*過濾蛋液 可以去掉雜質 蒸蛋口感更嫩滑
*輕輕打散雞蛋 避免打進過多空氣入蛋液 引至蒸蛋會有氣泡 口感不夠嫩滑
*蒸蛋用中小火 鍋蓋用長筷子隔開 留一條罅隙 使鍋內溫度不會過高 而鍋蓋倒汗水不會掉落蒸蛋上面 蒸蛋表面保持平滑 否則蒸蛋過熟有蜂巢般質感