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

The chawanmushi at Japanese restaurants is always smooth like pudding. Actually, with a rice cooker, you can make steamed eggs at home with a quality comparable to high-end Japanese restaurants just by mastering one golden ratio. 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 mix the beaten eggs with the stock and seasonings (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 unmixed egg white and bubbles. This will result in a mirror-smooth surface. 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). Place it in the rice cooker with 0.8 cups of water in the outer pot. Leave a small gap in the lid (you can use a chopstick to prop it open for steam to escape, which is the secret to preventing the steamed egg from becoming tough or developing honeycomb holes). Once the cooker finishes, let it steam for 5 more minutes before serving.