Chawan Mushi (Japanese steamed egg custard)

Ingredients
* 200g boneless chicken breast, cut in to 2.5cm cube
* 1 tbsp sake
* 2 tsp light soy sauce
* 8 large prawns, peeled, deveined, tails left intact
* 4 large fresh shitake mushrooms, stems removed, quartered
* 1 small carrot, peeled and thinly sliced, each slice quartered
* 120g spinach, washed, blanched, drained and chopped

Dashi custard ingredients
* 625ml dashi
* 1 tbsp sake
* 1tsp salt
* 4 large eggs

Method
Marinate chicken in sake and soy for 10mins then drain.

To prepare dashi custard, heat dashi with sake, soy and salt until hot and salt is dissolved.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, without beating. Stir in the dashi mixture in a slow, steady stream, then strain through a fine sieve.

Evenly divide the chicken, prawns and vegetables and arrange them in 4 small heatproof bowls.

Pour egg mixture over, leaving a 2cm gap at he top of each bowl. Cover the bowl with foil or lid.

Heat water in a steamer and steam over medium heat for 1 min then reduce heat and steam gently for about 15 mins.

Remove from steamer and garnish with some grated lemon zest if desired.

Served 4 people.