Steamed Sea Urchin Custards

Name: Steamed Sea Urchin Custards
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 200 ml Dashi Stock; 2 teaspoons sea salt; 15 ml mirin; 15 ml sake; 2 teaspoons shiro (white) soy sauce; 90 ml lightly beaten egg (about 1½ eggs); 90 ml lightly beaten egg (about 1½ eggs); 12 large sea urchin roes, cut in half; 1 tablespoon finely sliced green onion; 2 teaspoons minced Pickled Ginger; 2 teaspoons finely chopped chives

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Fire

By Christine Manfield

Published 2008

About

These ethereal custards in the style of Japanese chawan mushi must be served as soon as they are made. I use the purpose-made little porcelain bowls with fitted lids for cooking and serving them. The recipe makes eight small custards (two per person) using these cups; if you use larger vessels, increase the steaming time slightly.

Ingredients

200 ml Dashi Stock
2 teaspoons sea salt
15

Asia
Japan
Starter
Fish course
Pescatarian
Tokyo

Method

Heat the dashi stock to simmering point, then season with salt, mirin, sake and soy sauce. Cool the liquid completely, then stir in the beaten egg. Don’t whisk too much: you don’t want air bubbles on the surface – the mixture should be smooth and even.

Divide the sea urchin roe and remaining ingredients equally among the cups, then ladle on the custard mixture until the cups are three-q