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5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Chawanmushi

How to make Instant Pot Chawanmushi 茶碗蒸し. Silky smooth Melt-in-the-Mouth savory egg custard with flavoring ingredients. Easy Japanese steamed egg is a simple yet delicious delight.
Servings 4
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

Fillings (Choose some of the ingredients)

  • 1 to 2 peeled shrimp , chopped
  • Chicken or pork shoulder , thinly sliced
  • Carrots , thinly sliced
  • Boiled vegetables , pat dry
  • Edamame
  • Imitation crab meat
  • Shiitake mushrooms, Shimeji mushrooms, or other types of mushrooms , thinly sliced
  • Kamaboko (Japanese fish cake), Narutomaki , thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Prepare Egg Mixture: In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, beat 2 extra large eggs until the egg yolks and egg whites fully blend.
    Continue to mix the egg mixture as you add ¼ tsp (2g) fine sea salt, 1 tsp (5ml) regular soy sauce, 1 tsp (5ml) mirin, 1 tsp (5ml) sake, 2 drops roasted sesame oil, and 1 cup (250ml) dashi stock to the well-beaten egg mixture. Make sure to mix it really well.
  • Add Fillings & Filter Egg Mixture: Place chopped filling ingredients in the ramekins. If using raw meat or seafood, place them at the bottom of the ramekins.
    Gently pour dashi egg mixture into ramekins through a mesh strainer until 80% full. Try to avoid forming air bubbles.
    Tap ramekins against the counter 10 times to remove any air bubbles.
    Cover ramekins with lids, aluminum foil, or food wraps.
  • Pressure Cook Chawanmushi: Add 1 cup (250ml) cold water in Instant Pot. Place trivet in Instant Pot, then place ramekins on trivet. It will be a tight fit.
    Close lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing position. Pressure Cook chawanmushi at Low Pressure for 1 minute, then Natural Release for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, release the remaining pressure (if any) by turning the Venting Knob to Venting position. Carefully open the lid.
  • Check Doneness & Serve: Use a food thermometer to make sure the meat or seafood (if using) is above 160°F. Serve Chawanmushi hot, warm, or cold. Enjoy~

Notes

1. Cooking Time: If you use a much larger bowl or ramekin, adjust cooking time appropriately depending on the capacity and thickness of the bowl.
2. Eggs: If you use other sizes of eggs, adjust accordingly to the volume.
3. Dashi: Feel free to use more dashi powder when using strong-flavored fillings or more fillings.
  • Homemade Dashi: Make sure to let it cool down before pouring it into the egg mixture.
4. Soy Sauce: Different brands or bottles of soy sauce can vary in their sodium levels, tartness, aroma, texture, and taste. Taste and adjust the amount accordingly.
5. Mirin: Best to use Hon Mirin instead of Aji-Mirin for better flavors. But both will work.
6. Sake: We usually use Gekkeikan sake. You can substitute it with Shaoxing wine, dry sherry wine, or omit it.
7. Fillings: 
  • No Fillings: You can omit fillings if you want to solely enjoy the melt-in-the-mouth texture and delicate flavors.
  • Vegetables: Boil or steam the vegetables to soften them before adding them to the chawanmushi.
  • Pat Dry Fillings: Pat dry the vegetables or other ingredients to remove excess liquid. This prevents throwing off the egg-to-liquid ratios or diluting the flavors.
  • Filling Types: The fillings will influence the flavor of chawanmushi. If you're adding ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, it'll add a strong flavor. Be careful when adding ingredients with high water content, because they may release moisture that will impact the egg-to-dashi ratio.
  • Filling Amount: Limit the amount of fillings you're adding to each ramekin to achieve a balanced fillings-to-custard ratio. If you add too many fillings, you won't be able to enjoy the melt-in-the-mouth texture of the egg custard. Adjust the amount according to your preferences.
  • Filling Size: Best to cut the fillings into smaller pieces if you want to enjoy more of the silky smooth texture.
Rate Amy + Jacky's Recipe: If you've tried our recipe, rate the recipe in the Comments section. Thank you!
Author: Amy + Jacky
Calories: 50kcal

Nutrition

Calories: 50kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 464mg | Potassium: 86mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 121IU | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg