Simple and Quick Chawanmushi

Ingredients

• ½ cup (115ml) cold dashi stock (use store-bought hondashi, dashi concentrate, or make your own)
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon agave
• 1-2 small sheets or 1 larger sheet Korean gim (roasted seaweed)
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

1. Whisk together the eggs, soy sauce, and agave or sugar in the heatproof dish - ramekins, weck bakable cups, chawanmushi cups.
2. Make sure the eggs are very well beaten, which will help make the custard smooth if you can minimize creating bubbles as eggs have a tendency to trap air (bubbles). Slowly pour the dashi into the eggs and stir gently to mix. Use a small strainer to skim bubbles from the surface.
3. Cover with the lid (knob lifted) and cook in the microwave at Power Level 5 for 3-4 minutes, or until the custard has barely set and jiggles uniformly when gently moved like flan. If the custard looks too soupy in the center, add 30 seconds at the same power level until barely set, but be careful not to overcook! Top with chopped or crumbled gim and sesame seeds.
4. Drizzle with sesame oil and enjoy.

Notes

• For a spicy kick, top with some chilli crisp.
• For a more hearty meal: add diced meat, ground meat or seafood, diced shiitakes or small whole shiitake, fishcakes, tofu cubes, whole prawns/shrimp.
• Enjoy chilled and topped with sliced spring onions, tobiko or salmon roe for a savory appetizer. Serve over rice to make it a full meal.
• Make instant dashi by mixing together 1 teaspoon of hondashi granules with 1 cup of water.
• Microwave ovens vary, even with the same wattages. Adjust cooking times as needed.