Japanese-Style Steamed Egg with Shrimp (Easy Rice Cooker Version)

Chawanmushi from Japanese restaurants is always smooth like pudding. Actually, with a rice cooker, if you get the golden ratio right, you can make steamed eggs at home with a quality comparable to high-end Japanese restaurants. Ingredients: 2 eggs 2-3 fresh shrimp (shelled, tail left on), sliced shiitake mushrooms or clams as desired (optional) A little chopped green onion or clover Seasoning: About 200-220 ml of warm water (or dashi stock) (The golden ratio of egg liquid to water is about 1:2 to 1:2.2), 1 tsp Japanese white soy sauce (or light soy sauce), a little salt and mirin. Simple Steps: Whisk the eggs: Lightly beat the eggs, add the stock and seasonings, and gently mix (don't whisk vigorously to avoid creating too many bubbles). Strain (Key Step): Strain the egg mixture through a sieve 1-2 times to remove any unbeaten egg white and bubbles. This will result in a mirror-smooth surface when steamed. Assemble: Place the shrimp and other ingredients into a heat-resistant container, then pour in the strained egg mixture. Rice Cooker Steaming Method: Cover the container with heat-resistant plastic wrap (or a plate) and place it in the rice cooker. Add 0.8 cups of water to the outer pot. Leave a small gap in the lid (you can use a chopstick wedged in the lid's edge to let steam escape; this is the secret to preventing the steamed egg from becoming tough or developing honeycomb-like holes). Once the cooker finishes, let it steam for 5 more minutes.