Chawan mushi (Japanese savoury custard)

For ➋
2 fresh eggs
20 cl cooled fish stock (add some sake (or sherry) & a dash of soy sauce)
1 shiitake, torn
6 large prawns, peeled*
2 tbs of parsley

Beat the eggs with a fork.

Add soup stock a little at a time while stirring the eggs.

Place the filling in individual earthenware cups. Pour in the mixture of egg and soup stock.

Cover with parsley.

Boil water in a steamer. Turn the heat down to medium. Place the cups in the steamer. Steam for 12 m.

*Or 200 g fresh white fish. Or a parboiled chicken breast, use with chicken stock.

The custard-like chawan mushi is a classic Japanese dish.
To add taste to the dish, fry or wok the ingredients, except the eggs.
You could pour water in a wok, with a divider for a larger cup. Heat the water with wok lid closed. When hot, put the cup with the ingredients in the wok and steam for about 15 m.
Try the similar Chinese steamed eggs or a modern fusion recipe.

Bacon chawan mushi with avocado & shrimps

For ➍
75 cl chicken stock (or dashi)
8 slices bacon
4 large eggs
1 tbs + 1 ts shoyu (white soya sauce)
2 ts sugar
12 large shrimps, cooked, sliced lengthwise into 0.3 cm pieces (or shaved country ham)
2 avocados, halved, cut crosswise into 0.5 cm pieces
8 scallions, thinly sliced
4 radishes, thinly sliced

In a sauce pan, heat the chicken stock (or dashi). Add the bacon. Simmer for 10 m. Whisk in the shoyu and sugar. Let it cool. Remove the bacon. (Use it for something else, like eggs for breakfast).
Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Whisk in the bacon broth. Pur the mixture through a fine sieve into 4 soup bowls.
Add the avocado slices.
Cover the bowls with plastic wrap. Put them in a steamer over gently boiling water. Steam for 13 m or until the custard is set.
Remove the wrap. Let cool the custard slightly.
Arrange shrimps, scallions and radishes on top and serve.
To serve cold, steam the custard, wrap and refrigerate for 1 day. Add shrimps, radish and scallions just before serving.

This is a modern fusion recipe, inspired on the traditional Japanese chawan mushi.