Breakfast Delight : Onsen Tamago

ONSEN TAMAGO. This literally means "hot spring eggs) in Japanese. It refers to eggs that were originally prepared in hot spring waters to create silky egg whites and custard-like eggyolks.  I fell in love with this egg the first time I ever tried it in one of my trips to Japan. I remember having it in Fuji-sawa which is a place surrounded by a lot of onsens.

The egg is perfectly poached inside the shell. The whites are still soft, delicate and silky while the yolk is a bit firm versus a regular soft boiled egg which has a firm egg but runny center. It is served with a special sauce - a mixture of dashi and kaeshi sauce. 

Total time: 30 minutes
Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 eggs

Broth:

• 1/2 c soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 ½  cup dashi stock 

 Garnish:

• finishing salt (e.g. Maldon or Himalayan Pink Salt) and black sesame seeds – optional

Procedure

1. Cook eggs using stovetop: In a small saucepan, bring to boil enough water to cover eggs. Gently lower eggs into water and cook for 6 minutes for soft- or 8 minutes for medium-boiled eggs. 
2. Shock in ice bath.
3. Make kaeshi (soy mirin broth): In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring to simmer soy sauce, mirin, and sugar until dissolved, stirring frequently; remove from heat. Let cool to room temp or chill as desired. I like to serve it slightly warm.
4. To serve, stir together kaeshi and dashi broth. Peel eggs and arrange one in each bowl with optional scallions or sesame seeds. 
5. Pour approx 4 ozs broth into bowls and season with finishing salt.

Good morning! Happy Wednesday!

Cheers,

Pattie