Boiled eggs are great, sure. They come in their own perfect packaging, they’re a perfect transportable, picnic fodder when cooked and they’re one of those culinary wonders that encourages you to play with your food by imaging your toast as miniature soldiers. All fantastic qualities. What’s better than a boiled egg then, I hear you cry? I’ll see your ordinary boiled egg and raise you, Ajitsuke Tamago, or ramen eggs.
Salty, sweet, tangy, umami-rich eggs, with custard-like, jammy yolks; Ajitsuke Tamago is something you need in your fridge at all times. These marinated eggs are an important component to a bowl of ramen but are just as delicious eaten as a snack, served over rice stir fries.
As with anything marinated, the flavour of these eggs develops the longer you leave them to sit. Eggs can be marinated two days ahead, just cover and pop them in the fridge.
Ramen Egg (Ajitsuke Tamago)
Course: Snacks, SidesCuisine: JapaneseDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes10
minutesIngredients
6 large eggs
4 garlic cloves, peeled
thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and sliced in quarters
2 dried chillies
3/4 cup soy sauce
4 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
Directions
- Carefully lower the eggs into a saucepan into water – ensure that the water just covers the eggs. Cook for 8 and a half minutes. Transfer to an ice bath or very cold water and chill until eggs are just slightly warm, about 2 minutes—this stops the eggs from cooking further and makes them easier to peel.
- Meanwhile, bring garlic, ginger, chillies, soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, and 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cool fully then add eggs.
- Leave to sit for at least an hour in a sealed jar or bowl.
- To serve, carefully extract eggs from jar, slice in half and pop onto of your dish. I like a sprinkling of sesame seeds and drizzle of fermented chilli oil on my ramen eggs.
