Ichiban-Dashi Chawanmushi with Silver Dashi Glaze

Method

1. Wipe the kombu lightly with a damp cloth and soak it in the water in a 16 cm pan for at least 30 minutes. Warm slowly on medium-low heat for 9 min; when tiny bubbles form around the edge (about 60–70 °C), lift out the kombu before it boils. Boiled kombu turns the stock slimy and dull.

   Add in this stepWater 550 mlKombu 6 g

   medium-low heat

2. Turn up to medium heat, and as soon as it comes to a boil add the bonito flakes and switch off the heat. Leave for 2 min until the flakes sink, then strain through a sieve lined with a paper towel. Don't squeeze: letting it drip keeps the dashi clear and free of fishiness. Cool the dashi completely.

   Add in this stepKatsuobushi (bonito flakes) 12 g

   medium heat

3. Cut the chicken into 1.5 cm pieces and toss with the sake. Peel and devein the prawns and halve them; stem the shiitake and slice thinly. Dip the fillings in boiling water for just 10 seconds and drain: this cuts down the scum and cloudy liquid in the custard (the chicken and prawns cook through fully during steaming).

   Add in this stepBoneless chicken thigh 60 gCooking sake 1 tspPrawns 4Fresh shiitake 2

4. Measure out 300 ml of cooled dashi and keep the rest for the glaze. Beat the eggs with chopsticks without making foam, mix in the measured dashi, light soy sauce, mirin and salt, and strain twice through a fine sieve. Let it sit for 5 minutes so the last bubbles pop, then pour over the fillings in the cups to 80% full and cover with foil.

   Add in this stepEggs 2Japanese light soy sauce (usukuchi) 1 tspMirin 1 tspSalt 1 pinch

5. Bring the water in a 20 cm steamer to a full steam, put in the cups and cover with a lid wrapped in a dry tea towel. Steam on high heat for 2 min, then turn down to low heat, set the lid slightly ajar and steam for 13 min. It is ready when the custard wobbles right to the centre and a skewer brings up clear liquid.

   high heat→low heat

6. While it steams, put 80 ml of the reserved dashi, the glaze soy sauce and mirin in a small pan and warm on medium heat for 2 min. When the edges start to bubble, drizzle in the slaked starch while stirring. Turn off the heat once it turns clear, glossy and lightly thick.

   Add in this stepLight soy sauce (for the glaze) 1 tspMirin (for the glaze) 1 tspPotato starch 1 tspWater (to slake the starch) 2 tsp

   medium heat

7. Spoon a thin layer of glaze over each set custard, top with mitsuba and just a little yuzu zest, and serve at once.

   Add in this stepMitsuba (or chives) 4Grated yuzu zest (or lemon zest) 1 pinch