{"slug":"chawanmushi","title":"Chawanmushi","region":"Japan","cuisine":"Japanese","course":"Soup","protein":"Egg","dietary":["dairy-free","pescatarian option","vegetarian option","gluten-free adaptable"],"allergens":["egg","fish","crustacean","soy","wheat depending on kamaboko"],"tags":["Japanese","washoku","steamed","savoury egg custard","chawan mushi","chawan musi","Japanese steamed egg","dairy-free"],"culture":{"code":"JP","regionLabel":"Japan / washoku","tasteProfile":"Silky dashi-led egg, light soy and mirin, tender chicken, shrimp, shiitake, and mitsuba.","culturalCue":"A Japanese steamed soup eaten from its individual cooking cup with a spoon, not a sweet dairy custard.","dataCue":"The weighed ratio, steam behaviour, wobble, temperature, and clear-skewer test make a precision recipe suitable for visual and video guidance."},"promise":"Set a glossy, spoonable custard with no bubbles, stringy egg, or honeycomb holes.","difficulty":"Intermediate","prep":"25 min","cook":"25 min","total":"50 min","servings":"4 individual cups","spice":0,"bumbuBase":"dashi, egg, usukuchi soy, mirin, gentle steam","verification":{"status":"editorial-review","kitchenTested":false,"decisiveVisualsReal":false,"namedTester":null,"testDate":null,"indexableDiagnosticEvidence":false,"missing":["continuous real cook","not-ready/ready/too-far photographs","named tester","independent second test"]},"ingredients":[{"id":"dashi-chawanmushi","name":{"en":"unsalted dashi","id":"kaldu dashi tanpa garam"},"role":"the main flavour and three-part liquid in the delicate custard","group":"pantry","amount":"600 ml","source":{"indonesia":"Japanese supermarket, online grocery, or homemade from kombu and katsuobushi","australia":"Japanese grocer, Asian supermarket, or homemade"},"swap":"make from 700 ml water, 7 g kombu, and 14 g katsuobushi; instant dashi is fine if salt is adjusted","warning":"Most dashi contains fish; use kombu-shiitake dashi for a vegetarian version."},{"id":"egg-chawanmushi","name":{"en":"whole egg, weighed without shell","id":"telur utuh, ditimbang tanpa cangkang"},"role":"one structural part to exactly three parts dashi","group":"chilled","amount":"150 g","source":{"indonesia":"warung, pasar, or supermarket","australia":"any supermarket"},"warning":"Egg sizes vary: weigh the egg and use three times its weight in dashi."},{"id":"chicken-chawanmushi","name":{"en":"boneless skinless chicken thigh","id":"paha ayam tanpa tulang dan kulit"},"role":"small savoury filling pre-poached for beginner-safe doneness","group":"protein","amount":"60 g","source":{"indonesia":"trusted poultry stall or supermarket","australia":"butcher or supermarket"},"swap":"omit for a pescatarian version","warning":"Cut into eight even 1.5 cm pieces and pre-cook to 74°C."},{"id":"shrimp-chawanmushi","name":{"en":"peeled deveined small shrimp","id":"udang kecil kupas tanpa urat"},"role":"traditional seafood filling added late so it stays tender","group":"protein","amount":"48 g","source":{"indonesia":"trusted seafood stall or supermarket","australia":"fishmonger or supermarket"},"swap":"small scallop or firm white fish","warning":"Contains crustacean; poach only until pearly, opaque, and just firm."},{"id":"shiitake-chawanmushi","name":{"en":"fresh shiitake mushrooms","id":"jamur shiitake segar"},"role":"earthy umami and a soft contrasting slice","group":"fresh","amount":"20 g","source":{"indonesia":"Japanese or premium supermarket","australia":"Asian grocer or supermarket mushroom section"},"swap":"rehydrated dried shiitake, squeezed very dry"},{"id":"kamaboko-chawanmushi","name":{"en":"kamaboko fish cake","id":"kue ikan kamaboko"},"role":"traditional colour, fish flavour, and a tender bounce","group":"chilled","amount":"24 g","source":{"indonesia":"Japanese supermarket freezer or chiller","australia":"Japanese or Asian grocer chiller/freezer"},"swap":"omit if unavailable","warning":"Packaged kamaboko may contain fish, egg, soy, and wheat; read the label."},{"id":"ginkgo-chawanmushi","name":{"en":"canned ginkgo nuts","id":"biji ginkgo kalengan"},"role":"optional traditional bittersweet discovery inside each cup","group":"pantry","amount":"16 g","source":{"indonesia":"Japanese or Chinese grocer, often canned","australia":"Japanese or Asian grocer"},"swap":"omit; the custard does not depend on it","warning":"Use only 1–2 prepared nuts per cup; too many taste bitter."},{"id":"usukuchi-chawanmushi","name":{"en":"usukuchi light Japanese soy sauce","id":"shoyu usukuchi"},"role":"salty umami without turning the custard brown","group":"sauce","amount":"15 g","source":{"indonesia":"Japanese supermarket or online grocery","australia":"Japanese or Asian grocer"},"swap":"8–10 g regular soy or gluten-free tamari, then adjust salt","warning":"Contains soy and commonly wheat."},{"id":"mirin-chawanmushi","name":{"en":"mirin","id":"mirin"},"role":"subtle sweetness and washoku seasoning","group":"sauce","amount":"10 g","source":{"indonesia":"Japanese supermarket or online grocery","australia":"Japanese or Asian grocer"},"swap":"10 g water plus 1.5 g sugar for an alcohol-free version","warning":"Traditional mirin contains alcohol; use the stated substitute when required."},{"id":"salt-chawanmushi","name":{"en":"fine sea salt","id":"garam laut halus"},"role":"brings the custard close to the classic lightly seasoned set","group":"pantry","amount":"3 g","source":{"indonesia":"warung or supermarket","australia":"any supermarket"},"warning":"Reduce this when instant dashi or regular soy is already salty."},{"id":"mitsuba-chawanmushi","name":{"en":"mitsuba","id":"daun mitsuba"},"role":"delicate Japanese herb garnish added after steaming","group":"garnish","amount":"4 g","source":{"indonesia":"Japanese specialist grocer when available","australia":"Japanese grocer or specialty produce market"},"swap":"tender celery leaves or flat-leaf parsley, used sparingly"},{"id":"yuzu-chawanmushi","name":{"en":"yuzu peel","id":"kulit yuzu"},"role":"optional fine citrus perfume on the finished cup","group":"garnish","amount":"0.5 g","source":{"indonesia":"Japanese specialist grocer, often frozen","australia":"Japanese grocer or specialty produce market"},"swap":"a few hair-fine threads of lemon zest"}],"method":[{"title":"Fit the cups and cut fillings evenly","time":"7 min","detail":"Before filling anything, confirm all four cups fit without touching and the pot lid closes. Place a folded thin cloth or silicone rack beneath them. Cut chicken into eight even 1.5 cm pieces, slice shiitake 4–5 mm thick, and keep small shrimp whole.","cue":"Cups sit level and stable; every chicken piece is small enough to heat at the same rate.","mistake":"Crowded cups rattle and large raw chicken pieces heat too slowly.","ingredientIds":["chicken-chawanmushi","shrimp-chawanmushi","shiitake-chawanmushi"]},{"title":"Pre-poach chicken, mushroom, and shrimp","time":"8 min","detail":"Bring 150 ml dashi and 5 g soy to a gentle simmer. Cook chicken 3–4 minutes to 74°C, adding shiitake for the final 2 minutes. Remove both, then poach shrimp 60–90 seconds until pearly and opaque. Cool the fillings and discard the cloudy poaching liquid rather than adding it to custard.","cue":"Chicken is safely opaque, shrimp just firm, and no cloudy meat juices enter the egg base.","mistake":"Leaving shrimp for the full steam makes it rubbery; raw watery fillings weaken the set.","ingredientIds":["dashi-chawanmushi","usukuchi-chawanmushi"]},{"title":"Weigh the exact one-to-three custard","time":"7 min","detail":"Combine 450 g room-temperature dashi with 10 g soy, mirin, and salt. Weigh shelled eggs: for any amount other than 150 g, use exactly three times that weight of seasoned dashi. Break yolks, then stir side-to-side with chopsticks against the bowl bottom instead of whisking air in.","cue":"Egg and dashi are evenly combined at 1:3 by weight with almost no foam.","mistake":"Counting eggs without weighing changes the ratio; hot dashi makes stringy scrambled flecks.","ingredientIds":["egg-chawanmushi","mirin-chawanmushi","salt-chawanmushi"]},{"title":"Strain, fill, and cover the cups","time":"6 min","detail":"Add seasoned dashi to egg in three additions, stirring gently. Pass through a fine sieve into a jug and skim bubbles. Divide chicken, shiitake, and optional ginkgo among cups; add about 155 g custard to each with 1–1.5 cm headspace. Pop bubbles and cover every cup with its lid or foil.","cue":"The surface is pale, completely smooth, and protected from condensation.","mistake":"Unstrained white makes streaks; uncovered cups collect drips that pit and dilute the surface.","ingredientIds":["ginkgo-chawanmushi"]},{"title":"Steam at the quietest simmer","time":"14 min","detail":"Arrange covered cups on the cloth, add warm water to one-third their height, and cover the pot. Use medium heat only until water reaches a bare simmer, then immediately turn to the lowest heat and prop the pot lid open about 1 cm with a chopstick.","cue":"Water gives an occasional quiet plop; cups do not rattle and no rolling boil is visible.","mistake":"High trapped steam overheats egg into honeycomb holes and rubbery curds.","ingredientIds":[]},{"title":"Test the wobble and add visible fillings","time":"5 min","detail":"After 14 minutes, open the lid away from your face. The edge should be set and centre move as one soft jelly; if it waves like liquid, continue in 2-minute increments. Once it supports weight, place one cooked shrimp and two kamaboko slices on each cup, re-cover, and steam 2–3 minutes.","cue":"A skewer near the centre releases clear dashi, not milky egg; centre temperature is about 77–80°C.","mistake":"A liquid wave is underdone, but chasing a stiff set squeezes water from overheated egg.","ingredientIds":["kamaboko-chawanmushi"]},{"title":"Rest covered, garnish, and spoon","time":"3 min","detail":"Turn off heat and rest covered for 3 minutes so residual heat completes the set gently. Add mitsuba and fine yuzu peel. Serve hot in the cooking cup with a small spoon and warn diners that the ceramic is hot.","cue":"The glossy pale custard trembles softly and spoons like silk between soft tofu and barely set custard.","mistake":"Freezing or hard reheating causes porous texture and clear liquid separation.","ingredientIds":["mitsuba-chawanmushi","yuzu-chawanmushi"]}],"visuals":{"header":{"src":"/generated/ai/headers/chawanmushi.jpg","alt":"Chawanmushi finished-dish reference","role":"finished-dish reference","evidenceStatus":"prototype-placeholder"},"sequence":[{"shotId":"chawanmushi-step-1","position":1,"src":"/generated/ai/method-steps/chawanmushi-1-fit-cups-and-prep.jpg","alt":"Chawanmushi: Fit the cups and cut fillings evenly","evidenceStatus":"prototype-placeholder","title":"Fit the cups and cut fillings evenly","cookDuration":"7 min","action":"Before filling anything, confirm all four cups fit without touching and the pot lid closes. Place a folded thin cloth or silicone rack beneath them. Cut chicken into eight even 1.5 cm pieces, slice shiitake 4–5 mm thick, and keep small shrimp whole.","visualCue":"Cups sit level and stable; every chicken piece is small enough to heat at the same rate.","avoid":"Crowded cups rattle and large raw chicken pieces heat too slowly.","suggestedClipSeconds":6,"framing":"close instructional cooking frame"},{"shotId":"chawanmushi-step-2","position":2,"src":"/generated/ai/method-steps/chawanmushi-2-prepoach-fillings.jpg","alt":"Chawanmushi: Pre-poach chicken, mushroom, and shrimp","evidenceStatus":"prototype-placeholder","title":"Pre-poach chicken, mushroom, and shrimp","cookDuration":"8 min","action":"Bring 150 ml dashi and 5 g soy to a gentle simmer. Cook chicken 3–4 minutes to 74°C, adding shiitake for the final 2 minutes. Remove both, then poach shrimp 60–90 seconds until pearly and opaque. Cool the fillings and discard the cloudy poaching liquid rather than adding it to custard.","visualCue":"Chicken is safely opaque, shrimp just firm, and no cloudy meat juices enter the egg base.","avoid":"Leaving shrimp for the full steam makes it rubbery; raw watery fillings weaken the set.","suggestedClipSeconds":6,"framing":"close instructional cooking frame"},{"shotId":"chawanmushi-step-3","position":3,"src":"/generated/ai/method-steps/chawanmushi-3-weigh-one-to-three.jpg","alt":"Chawanmushi: Weigh the exact one-to-three custard","evidenceStatus":"prototype-placeholder","title":"Weigh the exact one-to-three custard","cookDuration":"7 min","action":"Combine 450 g room-temperature dashi with 10 g soy, mirin, and salt. Weigh shelled eggs: for any amount other than 150 g, use exactly three times that weight of seasoned dashi. Break yolks, then stir side-to-side with chopsticks against the bowl bottom instead of whisking air in.","visualCue":"Egg and dashi are evenly combined at 1:3 by weight with almost no foam.","avoid":"Counting eggs without weighing changes the ratio; hot dashi makes stringy scrambled flecks.","suggestedClipSeconds":6,"framing":"close instructional cooking frame"},{"shotId":"chawanmushi-step-4","position":4,"src":"/generated/ai/method-steps/chawanmushi-4-strain-fill-cover.jpg","alt":"Chawanmushi: Strain, fill, and cover the cups","evidenceStatus":"prototype-placeholder","title":"Strain, fill, and cover the cups","cookDuration":"6 min","action":"Add seasoned dashi to egg in three additions, stirring gently. Pass through a fine sieve into a jug and skim bubbles. Divide chicken, shiitake, and optional ginkgo among cups; add about 155 g custard to each with 1–1.5 cm headspace. Pop bubbles and cover every cup with its lid or foil.","visualCue":"The surface is pale, completely smooth, and protected from condensation.","avoid":"Unstrained white makes streaks; uncovered cups collect drips that pit and dilute the surface.","suggestedClipSeconds":6,"framing":"close instructional cooking frame"},{"shotId":"chawanmushi-step-5","position":5,"src":"/generated/ai/method-steps/chawanmushi-5-quiet-steam.jpg","alt":"Chawanmushi: Steam at the quietest simmer","evidenceStatus":"prototype-placeholder","title":"Steam at the quietest simmer","cookDuration":"14 min","action":"Arrange covered cups on the cloth, add warm water to one-third their height, and cover the pot. Use medium heat only until water reaches a bare simmer, then immediately turn to the lowest heat and prop the pot lid open about 1 cm with a chopstick.","visualCue":"Water gives an occasional quiet plop; cups do not rattle and no rolling boil is visible.","avoid":"High trapped steam overheats egg into honeycomb holes and rubbery curds.","suggestedClipSeconds":6,"framing":"close instructional cooking frame"},{"shotId":"chawanmushi-step-6","position":6,"src":"/generated/ai/method-steps/chawanmushi-6-test-and-top.jpg","alt":"Chawanmushi: Test the wobble and add visible fillings","evidenceStatus":"prototype-placeholder","title":"Test the wobble and add visible fillings","cookDuration":"5 min","action":"After 14 minutes, open the lid away from your face. The edge should be set and centre move as one soft jelly; if it waves like liquid, continue in 2-minute increments. Once it supports weight, place one cooked shrimp and two kamaboko slices on each cup, re-cover, and steam 2–3 minutes.","visualCue":"A skewer near the centre releases clear dashi, not milky egg; centre temperature is about 77–80°C.","avoid":"A liquid wave is underdone, but chasing a stiff set squeezes water from overheated egg.","suggestedClipSeconds":6,"framing":"close instructional cooking frame"},{"shotId":"chawanmushi-step-7","position":7,"src":"/generated/ai/method-steps/chawanmushi-7-rest-and-spoon.jpg","alt":"Chawanmushi: Rest covered, garnish, and spoon","evidenceStatus":"prototype-placeholder","title":"Rest covered, garnish, and spoon","cookDuration":"3 min","action":"Turn off heat and rest covered for 3 minutes so residual heat completes the set gently. Add mitsuba and fine yuzu peel. Serve hot in the cooking cup with a small spoon and warn diners that the ceramic is hot.","visualCue":"The glossy pale custard trembles softly and spoons like silk between soft tofu and barely set custard.","avoid":"Freezing or hard reheating causes porous texture and clear liquid separation.","suggestedClipSeconds":6,"framing":"finished plate, 45-degree editorial frame"}],"videoBlueprint":{"version":1,"order":"strict","defaultAspectRatios":["9:16","16:9"],"transition":"clean cut on visible state change","narrationSource":"method.action","cueOverlaySource":"method.visualCue","safetyNote":"Generated media must never override measured temperatures, allergen notes, or the written method."}},"sourcing":{"melbourne":["Best source: start at a Japanese grocer for unsalted dashi, whole egg, weighed without shell, boneless skinless chicken thigh; buy unsalted dashi, whole egg, weighed without shell, boneless skinless chicken thigh from a high-turnover Melbourne supermarket, butcher, poultry shop, or fishmonger.","Japanese pantry watch: compare exact labels for unsalted dashi, canned ginkgo nuts, usukuchi light Japanese soy sauce; protect unsalted dashi because it changes the identity or technique of Chawanmushi.","Acceptable swaps: unsalted dashi: make from 700 ml water, 7 g kombu, and 14 g katsuobushi; instant dashi is fine if salt is adjusted; boneless skinless chicken thigh: omit for a pescatarian version.","Allergen check: egg, fish, crustacean, soy, wheat depending on kamaboko; read every sauce, stock, crumb, and packaged Japanese ingredient rather than relying on the category name.","Fresh vs packaged: buy fresh shiitake mushrooms fresh or properly chilled; packaged unsalted dashi, canned ginkgo nuts, usukuchi light Japanese soy sauce is useful when the seal and use-by date are sound.","Storage: keep meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and opened chilled products below 5°C and refrigerate cooked food within 2 hours.","Price confidence: medium; local proteins and produce are usually steady, while imported Japanese pantry and specialty items can move sharply.","Beginner path: choose the classic chicken and shrimp variant, then preserve its decisive technique cue: Set a glossy, spoonable custard with no bubbles, stringy egg, or honeycomb holes."],"jakarta":["Best source: use a Japanese supermarket or trusted online grocer for kaldu dashi tanpa garam, telur utuh, ditimbang tanpa cangkang, paha ayam tanpa tulang dan kulit; buy unsalted dashi, whole egg, weighed without shell, boneless skinless chicken thigh from high-turnover Jakarta fresh suppliers.","Japanese pantry watch: compare labels for unsalted dashi, canned ginkgo nuts, usukuchi light Japanese soy sauce; imported specialist items should remain cold, sealed, and within date.","Acceptable swaps: unsalted dashi: make from 700 ml water, 7 g kombu, and 14 g katsuobushi; instant dashi is fine if salt is adjusted; boneless skinless chicken thigh: omit for a pescatarian version.","Allergen check: egg, fish, crustacean, soy, wheat depending on kamaboko; verify packaged products and pork, halal, or alcohol requirements for the exact brands you choose.","Fresh vs packaged: use well-chilled proteins and clean produce or eggs; packaged unsalted dashi, canned ginkgo nuts, usukuchi light Japanese soy sauce is fine when dates and refrigeration are reliable.","Storage: minimise delivery time for chilled products, refrigerate promptly, and use an insulated bag during hot weather.","Price confidence: medium; local proteins and produce are more predictable than imported Japanese crumbs, sauces, stock bases, herbs, or condiments.","Beginner path: choose the classic chicken and shrimp variant and keep the same temperature, ratio, and visual checkpoints instead of improvising by colour alone."]},"provenance":[{"sourceName":"Japan MAFF - Chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard)","sourceUrl":"https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/market/japan-cuisine/japan/19/index.html","sourceType":"recipe-reference","confidence":"high","method":"Uses an official Japanese recipe to cross-check dashi-led egg custard, straining, covered cups, a water bath, and lowering the heat before the water boils.","supports":["Japanese dish identity","dashi and egg structure","strain, cover, and steam gently"],"caveat":"MAFF's example contains chicken and prawns and is one valid filling set; fillings vary, while smooth low-heat coagulation remains the transferable technique.","status":"external-source","reviewedOn":"2026-07-10"},{"sourceName":"Kikkoman Japan - Basic Chawanmushi","sourceUrl":"https://www.kikkoman.co.jp/homecook/washoku/019/","sourceType":"recipe-reference","confidence":"high","method":"Cross-checks the classic 1:3 egg-to-dashi relationship, avoiding watery fillings, and controlling the steamer environment below 80°C to protect a smooth, tender set.","supports":["1:3 egg-to-dashi ratio","low-moisture fillings","sub-80°C steamer control"],"caveat":"The page is in Japanese and describes one household method. Egg size, cup material, filling temperature, and steamer geometry still change set time.","status":"external-source","reviewedOn":"2026-07-10"},{"sourceName":"Kikkoman Global - Chawan-mushi","sourceUrl":"https://www.kikkoman.com/en/cookbook/recipe/00000157.html","sourceType":"recipe-reference","confidence":"high","method":"Cross-checks cooling the seasoned broth before combining it with egg, straining the custard, portioning fillings, and steaming over low heat for a smooth surface.","supports":["cool broth before egg","strain custard","low-heat steaming"],"caveat":"Its 1:2 egg-to-dashi formula is firmer than the 1:3 Japanese home-cooking reference, demonstrating legitimate variation rather than a universal ratio.","status":"external-source","reviewedOn":"2026-07-10"},{"sourceName":"Journal of Cookery Science of Japan - Rheological properties of chawan mushi","sourceUrl":"https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/cookeryscience1995/33/4/33_451/_article/-char/en","sourceType":"recipe-reference","confidence":"high","method":"Uses experimental texture research to distinguish egg-gel formation from surface appearance and to ground why temperature, dilution, salt, and pH change chawanmushi set and water release.","supports":["egg solution gelation behaviour","temperature effect on set","salt and dilution effect on texture"],"caveat":"Laboratory rheology does not translate into one domestic steaming time; the app still relies on cup-level visual and temperature checks.","status":"external-source","reviewedOn":"2026-07-10"},{"sourceName":"FoodSafety.gov - Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures","sourceUrl":"https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures","sourceType":"food-safety","confidence":"high","method":"Applies 71°C / 160°F to egg dishes and 74°C / 165°F to any poultry filling. Small chicken pieces must be cooked through without forcing the surrounding custard into a hard boil.","supports":["71°C egg-dish minimum","74°C poultry minimum","thermometer verification"],"caveat":"A just-set wobble is a texture cue, not a complete safety test when raw egg, chicken, or seafood fillings are present; verify the centre and the largest protein piece.","status":"external-source","reviewedOn":"2026-07-10"},{"sourceName":"Food Standards Australia New Zealand - Food safety basics","sourceUrl":"https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/prevention-of-foodborne-illness/food-safety-basics","sourceType":"food-safety","confidence":"high","method":"Applies Australian controls to raw egg, chicken, and prawn preparation: prevent cross-contamination, keep perishables at 5°C or colder, cook thoroughly, and avoid extended room-temperature holding.","supports":["raw ingredient separation","5°C cold storage","thorough cooking"],"caveat":"General food-safety guidance cannot resolve custard texture; use gentle steam for quality while independently verifying safe internal temperatures.","status":"external-source","reviewedOn":"2026-07-10"},{"sourceName":"Bumbu Lens generated visual cue reference","sourceUrl":"/generated/ai/headers/chawanmushi.jpg","sourceType":"visual-source","status":"internal-review","confidence":"limited","reviewedOn":"2026-07-10","method":"Recorded as a local editorial or generated visual cue asset, not an independent external source.","supports":["finished-dish appearance","image credit boundary"],"caveat":"A local or generated asset is visual guidance, not evidence of authenticity, ingredient quantities, timing, safety, or method accuracy."},{"sourceName":"Bumbu Lens editorial method audit","sourceUrl":null,"sourceType":"internal-audit","status":"internal-review","confidence":"medium","reviewedOn":"2026-07-10","method":"Reviewed Chawanmushi as an ordered cook flow with visual cues, common mistakes, and recovery notes.","supports":["method sequence","visual checkpoints","mistake and recovery notes"],"caveat":"Use this as editorial guidance; run a tested-kitchen pass before publishing nutrition, safety guarantees, or commercial pack quantities."},{"sourceName":"Bumbu Lens Melbourne/Jakarta sourcing heuristic","sourceUrl":null,"sourceType":"local-sourcing","status":"needs-reverification","confidence":"medium","reviewedOn":"2026-07-10","method":"Mapped ingredient groups to likely Melbourne grocer, supermarket, butcher, pasar, and Jakarta supermarket paths.","supports":["Melbourne sourcing","Jakarta sourcing","volatile availability boundary"],"caveat":"Ingredient availability, price, and store stock change; verify with local grocers before travel, bulk shopping, or holiday cooking."}],"faq":[{"question":"Is ‘Chawan Musi’ the same dish?","answer":"Yes - the intended canonical Japanese name is Chawanmushi (茶碗蒸し). Bumbu Lens keeps ‘Chawan Musi’ and ‘Chawan Mushi’ as search aliases so the recipe is still easy to find."},{"question":"Why is Chawanmushi classified as soup?","answer":"Japanese washoku references treat it as a delicate dashi-led steamed soup eaten from an individual cup with a spoon, not a dairy custard or Western pudding."},{"question":"Can I make vegetarian Chawanmushi?","answer":"Yes. Use kombu-shiitake dashi and cooked, thoroughly drained shiitake, ginkgo, edamame, or squeezed spinach. Omit chicken, shrimp, bonito dashi, and kamaboko; egg remains structural, so it is not vegan."},{"question":"How do I reheat Chawanmushi?","answer":"Refrigerate covered within 2 hours and use this seafood version within 2 days. Reheat once, covered, over the gentlest steam for 6–10 minutes until steaming hot - about 75°C - without letting the water roll."},{"question":"What is the decisive ready cue for Chawanmushi?","answer":"Set a glossy, spoonable custard with no bubbles, stringy egg, or honeycomb holes. Look for smooth pale surface, soft wobble, silky spooned interior: The centre reaches about 77–80°C, moves as one soft jelly, and a skewer releases clear - not milky - dashi."},{"question":"What should I do if Chawanmushi misses its cue?","answer":"Leaving shrimp for the full steam makes it rubbery; raw watery fillings weaken the set. Spread the food out, raise heat only after moisture drops, and hold back extra sauce until the pan is frying again."},{"question":"How should I scale Chawanmushi?","answer":"Scale the measured ingredients with the serving count, then scale the vessel or work in batches. Keep the same visual finish - smooth pale surface, soft wobble, silky spooned interior - rather than forcing the original timer."},{"question":"Which substitutions are tested for Chawanmushi?","answer":"unsalted dashi: make from 700 ml water, 7 g kombu, and 14 g katsuobushi; instant dashi is fine if salt is adjusted; boneless skinless chicken thigh: omit for a pescatarian version; peeled deveined small shrimp: small scallop or firm white fish; fresh shiitake mushrooms: rehydrated dried shiitake, squeezed very dry"},{"question":"Which Chawanmushi ingredients should not be swapped casually?","answer":"unsalted dashi: Most dashi contains fish; use kombu-shiitake dashi for a vegetarian version.; whole egg, weighed without shell: Egg sizes vary: weigh the egg and use three times its weight in dashi.; boneless skinless chicken thigh: Cut into eight even 1.5 cm pieces and pre-cook to 74°C.; peeled deveined small shrimp: Contains crustacean; poach only until pearly, opaque, and just firm."}],"freshness":{"lastReviewed":"2026-07-10","stableFields":["dish identity","method sequence","visual cues","ingredient roles"],"volatileFields":["city availability","price confidence","store-specific sourcing"],"sourcingPolicy":"Use Bumbu Lens city guidance as a shopping route, then verify availability with local grocers before travel or bulk purchasing."},"schemaVersion":"1.0","entity":{"type":"recipe","id":"chawanmushi"},"publication":{"status":"editorial-review","canonicalIndexable":false},"canonicalUrl":"https://www.bumbulens.com/recipes/chawanmushi","dataUrl":"https://www.bumbulens.com/recipes/chawanmushi/data.json","inLanguage":"en-AU","links":{"self":{"href":"https://www.bumbulens.com/recipes/chawanmushi/data.json","mediaType":"application/json"},"canonical":{"href":"https://www.bumbulens.com/recipes/chawanmushi","mediaType":"text/html"}},"actions":[{"id":"read_recipe_data","actor":"agent","label":"Read the recipe entity","method":"GET","href":"https://www.bumbulens.com/recipes/chawanmushi/data.json","mediaType":"application/json"},{"id":"view_recipe","actor":"human","label":"View Chawanmushi","method":"GET","href":"https://www.bumbulens.com/recipes/chawanmushi","mediaType":"text/html"},{"id":"start_guided_cook","actor":"human","label":"Start guided cook for Chawanmushi","method":"GET","href":"https://www.bumbulens.com/cook/chawanmushi","mediaType":"text/html"},{"id":"build_shopping_list","actor":"human","label":"Build the Chawanmushi shopping list","method":"GET","href":"https://www.bumbulens.com/recipes/chawanmushi/shopping","mediaType":"text/html"}]}