Japanese foods--mushimono

[Akiko]

Mushi-pan

I love these things... they manage to be light and have a richness at the same time. As a texture fanatic, I'd always have to restrain myself from pushing my finger into the ones on the shelf! (think of the old lady in Tampopo... that's me... although I'm really not that old, I just happen to like textures!)

Does anyone have a recipe for this? I like the variations (green tea, coffee flavoured) but my favorite is the traditional custard.

[torakris]

mushi pan are truely wonderful. I wasa ctually going to make these 2 days ago but never got around to it.

I don't know anyone who makes them from scratch, since the instant mixes are quite good.

The only recipeI have (and the one I was going to make) is for yuzu-cha (Japanese citron "tea") mushi pan, I'll give them a try today and let you know how they go.

mushi pan and meron (melon) pan, my two addictions.

[torakris]

蒸しパン！

mushi pan!

http://robanopan21.hp.infoseek.co.jp/mushipan.htm

[smallworld]

Another mushi-pan lover here!

Are those mixes easy to use? Can you control the amount of sugar, or is everything already mixed? I'd love to try steaming my own sometime.

I've never heard of yuzu-cha, but it sounds nice- both as a tea and in mushi-pan!

[torakris]

Yuzu-cha is a Korean product that is becoming very popular in Japan. It is similar to a marmalade (it usually contains, thin slices of yuzu, yuzu juice, sugar and honey) and can be used similarly, though it tastes great drunk as a tea.

In Japan it can be found at some large supermarkets, "international" type superkarkets or other import stores as well as at the kimchi counter of most department store basements. Outside of Japan I have never had a problem finding it in a Korean grocery.

Yuzu cha looks like this (sorry Japanese website, couldn't find anything in English):

http://www.hokuchin.co.jp/webkounosyoyuzucha.htm

As the the mushi pan mixes I have not used them in a year or two, but I think you just add some like water and then steam them. I have recently noticed some package specifically for the microwave, but have no intention of giving them a try.

[smallworld]

Thanks! I'll be checking both out soon.

[torakris]

You know what to do!

[Bigfoot]

chawanmushi!

[herbacidal]

You know what to do!

actually didn't notice the trend in your questioning until today.

[Jinmyo]

Chawanmushi too. With a chunk of lobster knuckle meat and thinly sliced shitake.

[torakris]

chawanmushi for me too!

also sake and butter steamed clams

mushi pan (steamed sweet bread)

tamago-dofu

[tissue]

crab chawan mushi!

To die for!

[mamster]

Okay, what's chawanmushi?

[tissue]

Steamed egg custard.

[torakris]

chawanmushi:

http://www.bob-an.com/recipe/dailyjc/basic...hwan/chwan.html

Has anyone every eaten this cold?

I just had it for the first time last summer and it was great!

[tissue]

chawanmushi:

http://www.bob-an.com/recipe/dailyjc/basic...hwan/chwan.html

Has anyone every eaten this cold?

I just had it for the first time last summer and it was great!

Is this similar to the tofu/egg they sell at the supermarket?

[torakris]

chawanmushi:

http://www.bob-an.com/recipe/dailyjc/basic...hwan/chwan.html

Has anyone every eaten this cold?

I just had it for the first time last summer and it was great!

Is this similar to the tofu/egg they sell at the supermarket?

you mean the tamago-dofu?

like this:

http://www.bob-an.com/recipe/dailyjc/ref/t...ofu/tgtofu.html

this is normally served cold and though I ahve never made it at the home the supermarket versions tend to be more jello like then the smooth chawan mushi.

Other then the chawan mushi containing other ingredients, there are very similar.

[Jinmyo]

By the way, here is a link to the chawanmushi thread on eGullet.

[smallworld]

I'm surprised how small the mushimono category is in Japan, seeing as it's such a simple and healthy way to cook. Other than chawan-mushi, the only things I can think of are 'sekihan' (steamed mochi rice with red beans) and other kinds of 'okowa' (steamed mochi rice with flavourings and seasonal ingredients).

And of course the great steamed potatoes topped with butter, sold as 'jaga-bata' at yatai. One of my favourite yatai snacks. I do a version at home called 'miso-jaga-bata'- steam a few potatoes (any starchy kind) till soft in the middle, cut in half and spread with a thin layer of miso (any kind of miso works well, we use a chunky country-style), broil briefly in the oven toaster, then top with a pat of butter.

(We actually saw this on TV being touted by Mino Monta as a health food perfect for, well, I don't remember exactly. Thining the blood? Improving liver function? I can't remember, but that doesn't stop me from eating it!)

[herbacidal]

wow,

my only problem with reading all this is that there's so much to learn.

anyway, post on!

i'll muddle my way through this.

[margaret]

A friend of mine prepared dinner for me last night, and made a simple side dish of shimeji and shiitake mushrooms steamed in sake. Just rolled up in a foil packet and stuck on the burner. It was good with a splash of ponzu.

I do a similar thing to smallworld's miso-jaga-bata, but I usually do them in a frypan on the stove.

[tissue]

A friend of mine prepared dinner for me last night, and made a simple side dish of shimeji and shiitake mushrooms steamed in sake. Just rolled up in a foil packet and stuck on the burner. It was good with a splash of ponzu.

I do a similar thing to smallworld's miso-jaga-bata, but I usually do them in a frypan on the stove.

Did she put a little butter into it?

If you put butter in it, you don't need the ponzu at the end...

[margaret]

A friend of mine prepared dinner for me last night, and made a simple side dish of shimeji and shiitake mushrooms steamed in sake. Just rolled up in a foil packet and stuck on the burner. It was good with a splash of ponzu.

I do a similar thing to smallworld's miso-jaga-bata, but I usually do them in a frypan on the stove.

Did she put a little butter into it?

If you put butter in it, you don't need the ponzu at the end...

No butter I think. I actually liked the lightness the ponzu gave to the mushrooms, and it was accompanied by other heavier foods so it didn't really need butter. The prominent sake taste was really nice, too.

I sometimes do foil-yaki with mushrooms, butter and shoyu.

[torakris]

I too love foil-yaki (I wonder why they call it yaki when it is actually steaming?)

I do it with mushrooms and/or fish and/or onion/leeks almost always with sake sometimes with a little butter sometimes with a little ponzu sometimes with a little kochujang sauce, etc etc

[tissue]

I like steamed clams with sake too.

The broth is incredible...