Japanese Dashi Steamed Egg Custard
Japanese dashi has many uses, such as for making steamed egg custard, miso soup, oden, Japanese udon noodles, and more. You can make a larger batch at once, let it cool, and freeze it into ice cubes, which makes it very convenient for next time~ The dashi recipe is inspired by Uncle MAMS, and the steamed egg custard recipe is from Xiaogao Jie.
Ingredients
Steps
Start by making the dashi. The white powdery residue on the surface of the kombu is not dirt, so don't wash it off. Wipe it with a damp cloth instead.
Cut the kombu into pieces and soak in water for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, heat over medium-low for about 10 minutes. The water shouldn't boil, but small bubbles will form around the edges of the pot.
Increase the heat to high until the water boils. Once boiling, turn off the heat and remove the kombu.
Add the katsuobushi, bring to a boil over medium heat, and let it cook for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the katsuobushi sink to the bottom.
Place a double-layered mesh strainer with a piece of cheesecloth between the layers to filter the dashi into a bowl. Your dashi is now ready.
The filtered dashi.
Now make the steamed egg custard. Beat three eggs with salt, then add one cup of dashi.
Strain the egg mixture and cover it with cling film or a plate. Once the steamer is ready, place the bowl in the steamer.
Steam on low heat for six minutes, then let it sit for another five minutes before removing it from the steamer.
Season to taste with light soy sauce (Liuyuexian) and a drizzle of sesame oil.