National Geographic Traveller (UK) - Food
Roll your omelette the Japanese way
WHAT IS TAMAGOYAKI?
In Japanese, tamago means egg and yaki means fried. But this dish isn’t your average fried egg. More closely resembling an omelette, tamagoyaki consists of several layers of whisked egg, cooked and folded together to create a light, fluffy roll that’s sliced before serving.
HOW IS IT MADE?
The dish is so popular in Japan that there’s even a special rectangular pan, a tamagoyakiki, which makes it easier to create perfect sheets of egg. For a basic tamagoyaki, eggs are beaten then seasoned with salt, sugar, soy sauce and mirin. Some of the mixture is added to the hot pan, then, when it starts to solidify, it’s folded over to cover one half of the pan, before another ladle of mix is added. This process is repeated, folding one layer on top of the other.
HOW IS IT USUALLY SERVED?
It’s commonly dished up as part of a traditional breakfast along with miso soup, fish, pickled vegetables and rice. It can also be found as a street-food snack at markets, where slices are served on skewers. While it’s popular for breakfast, it’s also often served in bento boxes for lunch, and over rice at sushi restaurants.
IS IT ALWAYS THE SAME?
Aside from the basic version, there’s also dashimaki tamago, which adds dashi (a type of stock) to the egg mix. The result is a smoother, silkier texture and an extra boost of flavour. Both versions can be sweet or savoury depending on the amount of sugar and other seasonings.
WHERE SHOULD I GO FOR DECENT TAMAGOYAKI?
Yamachō at the Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo is one of the best places to get it — as evidenced by its huge queues of locals and tourists. Here, you can watch the chefs hard at work as they expertly fold over the layers of egg in multiple pans before serving the dish to guests on skewers. For a taste of dashimaki tamago, pay a visit to Miki Keiran at the Nishiki market in Kyoto, which has been serving a great version since 1928.
ALTERNATIVE: Okayu, a Japanese rice porridge similar to Chinese congee, is a simple dish made by boiling rice in water. It’s generally thicker than congee, as it has a higher rice-to-water ratio, and is sometimes made with stock to add more flavour. It’s typically eaten for breakfast and is also given to people who are ill, as it’s easy to digest.