CHAWANMUSHI

Course Appetizer

2 ounces/60 grams chicken in ½-inch dice
1 teaspoon sake
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Japanese soy sauce, preferably usukuchi shoyu (Japanese light-colored soy sauce)
4 small or 2 large shrimp, halved lengthwise if large
Some pieces of mushrooms (e.g., enoki, maitake, shiitake)
2 large eggs
1½ cups/330 grams dashi
2 teaspoons mirin
4 small sprigs of watercress
Lemon zest

Combine the diced chicken with the sake and 1 teaspoon soy sauce and marinate for 15 minutes. Drain.
Divide the chicken, shrimp, and mushrooms between four 4- to 5-ounce/120- to 150-milliliter ramekins.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Add the dashi, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and mirin and stir to combine well. Strain the mixture into a measuring cup and then divide among the ramekins. Cover each ramekin with foil.
Prepare a steamer large enough to hold all four ramekins. Once the water is boiling vigorously, reduce the heat to medium, add the ramekins, cover the steamer, and steam over medium heat until the custard is set but still jiggly and the garnish is cooked through, 15 to 17 minutes. Carefully remove the foil from the ramekins, place a sprig of watercress on each, cover the steamer again, and steam for another minute, until the watercress is just wilted. Remove the ramekins, grate a little lemon zest over each one with a Microplane, and serve immediately.