Tamago (Eggs)

[Hiroyuki]

In her second foodblog http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=52858, torakris wrote:

QUOTE(Phish @ Oct 9 2004, 04:45 PM)

One thing i don't understand, why do people eat sukiyaki with raw eggs?... and what's with people in Japan and the affiliation with raw eggs? I've seen alot of business man drinking some raw egg concoction for breakfast.... please enlighten me!

Edited to say that im chewing on some kokutou caremels at the moment... and they are yum ... and addictive too!!  Im on to my 6th one

The raw eggs add a lot of flavor and texture to sukiyaki. I was just talking to my neighbor the other day about how our kids don't like raw eggs and we can't understand how they can eat sukiyaki without it, the taste just isn't the same.

As for raw eggs with rice for breakfast, I am not a huge fan of it, but will eat it if there is nothing else, but it is a very popular dish here. As well as adding raw eggs (usually yolks only) to various dishes.

We eat a lot of raw or just barely cooked eggs in our house....

(End of quote)

My two children (8 and 5) love tamago kake gohan (rice with a raw egg). And I used to love it too when I was a child.

[torakris]

eggs, or more specifically egg yolks, can be used to make a variety of sauces.

To make a miso-egg yolk sauce great for topping steamed vegetables mix together:

1 egg yolk

3/4 cup white miso

2 T sake

1 T mirin

1 tsp sugar

(I often make this with out sake when I have a really nice --high alcohol content--mirin with a good flavor like an aged one, adding just a bit of sugar to taste)

Place all of the ingredients in a double boiler and blend well until creamy, this can keep refrigerated for a week or two.

Blend with dashi if needed for a more sauce like consistency, or add some karashi (mustard), vinegar, dashi and soy to taste for a "nuta" dressing. Nuta is a dressed dish of some type of sashimi and scallions.

You can also flavor it with yuzu peel, sesame seeds or sansho powder...

[torakris]

I made a dashimaki (astuyaki) tamago last night

I use about 5 to 6 M eggs with 1/3 cup dashi (instant), a splash of soy sauce and about 2 - 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar. I cook it is a round 18 cm (7 inch) frypan similar to what Hiroyuki uses.

[tissue]

have you ever made or eaten onsen tamago?

onsen is the Japanese word for hot springs and these are soft boiled eggs that are cooked in the hot springs, thus they are also a very popular menu item at hot spring resorts.

You can also find them already prepared in the refrigerated section of supermarkets:

http://www.isedelica.co.jp/product/img/onsennew.jpg

Though it isn't exactly the same (not hot springs) you can make them at home, English recipe and picture:

http://www.bob-an.com/recipe/dailyjc/ref/onsen/onsen.html

I have never tried to make this at home, but I might give it a try....

←

I love hot spring eggs. I went to hot springs in Hokkaido in August and had them every morning.

[slkinsey]

This is very interesting!

Could someone explain (and maybe even illustrate) the technique for making atsuyaki tamago? How is this different from making a French omelette? It looks like it is a bunch of very thin layers of egg all folded together and somehow made into a kind of "log" shape? What's the process. Are they usually consumed cold?

[tissue]

A sushi chef told me that when he made tamago for his restaurant, he put some mountain potato in it to make it softer.

[slkinsey]

And in the "answer your own question" department, I found this page. Is this the way most people make it at home (albeit in a round skillet)?

[torakris]

←

Sam,

the link you gave shows the proper way to make astuyaki, the egg is add in small increments to the pan and then rolled upon itself, leaving the look of layers. Hiroyuki probably does it similar as his picture (top) also has that layered look.

I make mine a little differently, using more of the French omelete style of making.

I pour half of my egg mixture at once into a very hot, oiled pan and mix with chopsticks for a couple seconds until it is starting to set, then I lower the heat and cook for another minute or two until it is only half runny, then using a spatula I fold it in half. I pour a little more oil into the pan, turn up the heat a bit and add half of the remaining eggs, I mix tehm well with the chopsticks until they have a very runny scrambled egg look, occasionally using the chopsticks to lift up the folded in half omelete and left some of the liquid run underneath. I then turn the heat down again and using the spatula I fold the folded egg part onto the new egg part and cook for a minute or so, then I oil the pan again and add the last part. Again turning up the heat a bit, scrambling them while letting some of the liquid flow beneath the folded part and then lowering the heat and folding the folded part onto the newly added eggs. I then cook it more a couple more minutes, flipping at least once (over low heat) until it is done. i poke it with my finger to see if it has the proper firmness. I then let it rest on a paper towel for about 10 minutes before cutting.

[Hiroyuki]

torakris,

Just wanted to tell you about this:

To my surprise, your husband and I are not in a minority.

http://weekend.nikkei.co.jp/kiko/map/tamagoyaki/map.html

White: Those who sweeten eggs to make tamago yaki surpass in number.

Light blue: Those who sweeten them almost equal those who don't.

Yellow: Those who don't sweeten them surpass.

What do you think??

[torakris]

torakris,

Just wanted to tell you about this:

To my surprise, your husband and I are not in a minority.

http://weekend.nikkei.co.jp/kiko/map/tamagoyaki/map.html

White:  Those who sweeten eggs to make tamago yaki surpass in number.

Light blue:  Those who sweeten them almost equal those who don't.

Yellow:  Those who don't sweeten them surpass.

What do you think??

←

but if you don't sweetened them they just taste like regular scrambled eggs....

[Hiroyuki]

One of the New Year dishes (osechi ryouri) that I hate is datemaki, which is made from fish paste, eggs, and a lot of sugar!

Home-made version

http://kitchen-h.fem.jp/recipe_033.html

Store-bought versions

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/kurumiya/701897/701907/701988/

[dornachu]

I bought tamago tofu in my supermarket, but other than just steam them, is there any other more interesting way to eat them? Thanks!

[torakris]

steam them?

I usually just eat them cold straight from the pack....

I actually never thought of doing anything to them.

[helenjp]

Straight from the pack it is...

I sometimes make a "silver and gold" cold tofu, with alternating cubes of egg tofu and silken tofu, with a little dashi/soy/mirin poured over it and maybe a sprig of young sansho leaves (kinome), but that's the most - tamago tofu is too fragile for much manipulation, anyway!

[dornachu]

steam them?

I usually just eat them cold straight from the pack....

I actually never thought of doing anything to them.

←

Oh!! I usually steam them!! I'll try eat them straight!!Just came b ack from tokyo and had my first bite of Whale!!!!

[torakris]

our whale thread is right here!!

I'd love to hear more about it and the rest of your trip.

[dornachu]

Thanks! I never knew that whale is consumed as food! Anyways, I had sashimi, deep fried, steak, it's actually quite good. I actually didn't really like sashimi one, i like sashimi beef better.

I love Tokyo!! I had some 100 yen sushi in Shibuya, there was a long line, but it's so worth the wait, one must finish everything within 30 minutes and also everyone has to order minimum of 7 plates, (easily done!!!). If the sushi you want is not on the conveyer belt, you can always order them from the sushi chef!

I also had some of the best udon i've ever had. Very different from the states where it's more soggy here. Very yummy.

The best part was my japanese breakfast. I had the "hot spring egg", it is the best thing ever happened!! Amazing texture, if someone has the recipe, i would love to try to replicate this at home!!

I did alot of shopping, mostly for young clothes in Shibuya 109, and I'm addicted to Matsumoto Kioshi (drug store) where thhey have alot of makeup!!

[JasonTrue]

Onsen tamago (hot spring egg) is a classic poached egg. Usually you add a little Japanese soy sauce and maybe other condiments when you plate it.

If you poach it in high mineral content onsen water, then it's a real onsen tamago, but for the rest of us, add some salt and a splash of vinegar into a shallow, wide-mouthed pan filled with water. Bring the water to a simmer.

Crack your egg into asmall teacup. Bring the cup into contact with the water and slide the egg carefully into the pan. Simmer for about two minutes, until the egg white sets.

[origamicrane]

slice into rounds and sear them on both sides then chuck in some chopped garlic, onions, scallion, miced chicken sweet and sour sauce:)

yum

hmmm i must take a picture next time my mum makes it

[dornachu]

slice into rounds and sear them on both sides then chuck in some chopped garlic, onions, scallion, miced chicken sweet and sour sauce:) 

yum 

hmmm i must take a picture next time my mum makes it

←

You have to! That sounds very yummy. Tamago Tofu is very expensive here, like $3 for 3 small blocks.

[torakris]

Ｉ　ｊｕｓｔ　ｒａｎ　ａｃｒｏｓｓ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｒｅｃｉｐｅ　ｆｏｒ　ａ　ｔａｍａｇｏ　ｔｏｆｕ　ｓｏｕｐ．．

[dornachu]

Thanks!!! I actually added some sesame dressing, a bit of ponzu and ate it cold, it was amazing!!

I was looking for that sesame dressing you are talking about that has yuzu in it, but of course, no luck here in the states. :(

[helenjp]

slice into rounds

Origamicrane, this is driving me nuts! You have to explain...either you have some pretty unusual tamago-dofu slicing technology, or you're talking about something else...surely?

[dornachu]

slice into rounds

Origamicrane, this is driving me nuts! You have to explain...either you have some pretty unusual tamago-dofu slicing technology, or you're talking about something else...surely?

←

In HK, i've seen the tamago tofu that comes in cylinder like thing, therefore they can slice it. I think.

[mascarpone]

What factors determine the acceptability of eggs that may be used for Sukiyaki and other dishes that require raw eggs? Obviously freshness is very important; how fresh should eggs be (how many days)? Are there other factors involved (type of chickens that lay the eggs, how chickens are raised, what they eat, the manner in which eggs are handled, packaged, stored)? Are there different classes of eggs in Japan: those that may be eaten raw and those that shouldn't, or are all eggs fair game?

In New York, there is a special Green Market where extra fresh eggs (Knollcrest) are sold (they are laid 24 hours before). Many Japanese purchase eggs there. I have also been to Japanese grocery stores and have seen eggs that have been sold for over $6 (US) per dozen with a Japanese label on the package.