Onsen Tamago (Japanese-style Soft-Boiled Egg)
Onsen Tamago is a traditional soft-boiled egg that has runny egg white on the outside and almost hard egg yolk inside. Yes, it is the other way around to a standard soft-boiled egg where the egg white is hard and the yolk is runny. Eat Onsen Tamago in the traditional way with a special dashi-based sauce.Prep Time includes the time to chill water in the fridge as well as taking the eggs from the fridge to room temperature.It takes a long time to make Onsen Tamago but you are really not doing anything for most of the 2.5 hours!Don't forget to see the section 'MEAL IDEAS' below the recipe card! It gives you a list of dishes that I have already posted and this recipe that can make up a complete meal. I hope it is of help to you.
- Prep time
- 2 hr
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 4 eggs ( at room temperature (note 1))
- 1000ml/4 cups water
- 250ml/1cup water (chilled to 4°C/40F° (note 2))
- 100ml/3.4oz dashi stock
- ½ tbsp cooking sake
- ½ tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- A pinch of salt ((note 3))
- 4 tiny mizuna leaves (or any other green leaves)
Instructions
- 1
Put all the Sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
- 2
Turn the heat off and cool the sauce down to room temperature.
- 3
Put 1000ml/4 cups water in a thick pot and bring it to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat.
- 4
Add the 250ml/1 cup chilled water to the pot.
- 5
Using a ladle, gently place each egg in the pot.
- 6
Place a lid on and leave for 25-30 minutes (note 5).
- 7
Transfer the eggs to a large bowl containing cold water to cool them down quickly and stop further cooking.
- 8
Crack open the egg, in the same way as cracking a fresh egg, into a small serving bowl. The egg should slide into the bowl easily because the egg white is runny.
- 9
Gently pour two tablespoons of the Sauce around the egg white and place a leaf on top if using. Serve with a spoon.