Chawanmushi - Japanese steam egg

My elder son loves steam eggs ! He is mad about steam eggs, especially if it is the Japanese Steam Eggs. So if you happen to see a young chap gorging down Chawanmushi available at buffets, you know it's him ! And.., should anyone knows of Gorge-ALL-You-Want-Chawanmushi place, you know whom would desparately want to know as well.

Oh..Pray let there be Chawanmushi always.. it's the one way to get him to EAT. He needs all the proteins he can get. So anything to LEVEL-UP ( gaming word , how about that ! , LOL ) his palate , I am always game to try it. (note : The Mummy is ever so afraid that the elder son will "vanish" into thin air because the younger one eats much faster and at times gobbles down his brother's share...sigh).

My elder son has been asking for mummy's chawanmushi for quite a while. I had this chawanmushi recipe for months now. Ughh.. no chawanmushi cups. Well, my elder son was quick to point out during a recent shopping spree when he saw the cups ! No escape.

My many-months-kept chawanmushi recipe

What is Required - cook for 6
2 tbsp Ikan Bilis powder or 1 cube of Fish Stock
6 large eggs
3 1/2 cups of water
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt
100g shitake mushrooms (sliced)
100g ham (slice square)
12 cooked peeled prawns (or equivalent of cooked crabstick, chicken, ham)


How to Do it
1. Pre-prepare the Stock. Boil the Fish stock. Leave it to cool in a fridge to bring down the temperature. Note : This is to prevent the eggs from being cooked once the stock is added.
2. Break eggs into a bowl. No stirring.
3. Add in the cooled stock into the eggs. Gently stir the eggs to mix well but not to beat the eggs.
4. Add in soy sauce and salt. Stir gently.
5. Divide and add equal portion of mushrooms, ham and prawns equally into the 6 cups. Leave some for top decoration later.
7. Use a sieve to pour the egg mixture into the cups gently.
8. Fill the wok with water (or electric steamer ) and bring to a boil.
9. Seal the cup with aluminium foil but leave a small gap for the steam to escape.
10. Put the cups into the wok (or steamer) and ensure water is hot.
11. Steam for 15mins.
12. Garnish the top and steam for another 1min and serve

My younger boy decides to give his portion of chawanmushi for his elder brother. The elder one ate 2 cups ! Too little. LOL

Steam Garlic Prawn

Over the recent weekend, while doing the usual grocery shopping at Tampines Giant, there were these live prawns literally jumping around in the tray. Many of us were crowding around to pick the freshest prawn ever, gleefully picking the "jumpiest prawns" aka as "freshest prawns". You should see my face , half in awe and bewilderment.. slightly shrieking as the lively prawns jump off the tray.

Hmm... Dinner drunken prawns (nah... i wouldn't dare, not that guru yet). I settle for something less challenging. Well, I was thinking more of the Steamed Garlic Prawns that I have eaten so many times in Chinese Restuarants. Yes !! I will try that , no harm trying since my younger son, Vic, is a seafood fanatic, my ever trustworthy gourmet taster.. never fails me ..hehe

As you guess it, my younger son Vic relishes it almost all of it, my hubby came close to 2nd, while my dearest eldest son Vin is not the typical "use your hand campaign" person also tucks in the delicious prawns ** wink **

First attempt, it works ..

Here how it goes, really simple, only max 10mins preparation, 10 mins cooking time

What you need :
1) half kg of prawns
2) 1 Tbps of TsingTao Wine (or White Wine)
3) 1 Tbps of Sesame Oil
3) a pitch of salt
4) a dash of pepper
5) 3 Cloves of fresh garlic (Chopped or minced)
6) 1 egg
7) Wok of hot water

How to do :
1) Cut the prawns (hind side) using the kitchen scissors. Slid it across the back of the prawn, with a opening for the filling.
2) Mix the Garlic with the TsingTao wine, Sesame oil, salt, and pepper
3) Add the egg into the mixture.
4) Use half tps of mixture and spread it across the slid opening of the prawn. Repeat this until all the prawns are completed.
5) Place the prawns on a ceramic plate that can be used for serving.
6) Pour remaing of the mixture over the prawns
7) Place the plate over the boiled wok of hot water , cover it and Steam for 10mins

Hope you enjoy this simple and easy to cook Garlic Steamed Prawns without having to pay a huge price at a Restaurant, and what better way to suck and lick your fingers in the comfort of your own home ..

Finally, Garlic helps fight cancer, and keeps the vampire away !