Tamagoyaki Recipe - A Simple Japanese Rolled Egg for Everyday Meals
Ingredients
3 Eggs
1 tbsp Hon mirin
1 pinch Salt
Cooking oil
For oiling the pan
Instructions
- 1
Crack the eggs into a bowl. Use chopsticks or a fork to gently break up the eggs without whisking too much air into them. Try to break up any large pieces of egg white as you mix. Add the hon mirin and salt, then mix until combined.
- 2
Lightly oil a tamagoyaki pan or small frying pan, then use a piece of kitchen paper to spread the oil thinly across the surface. Heat the pan over medium heat, then pour in about one third of the egg mixture and spread it across the pan.
Keep the oiled kitchen paper nearby so you can lightly oil the pan again between layers if needed.
- 3
When the egg is mostly set but still slightly soft on top, roll it from the far side towards you. Move the rolled egg back to the far side of the pan. It does not need to look perfect. The first roll often looks a little messy, and that is completely normal.
- 4
Lightly oil the pan again if needed, then pour in another third of the egg mixture. Lift the rolled egg slightly so the new egg can flow underneath, then roll again when mostly set.
- 5
Repeat with the remaining egg mixture. Once cooked, let the tamagoyaki rest for a minute, then slice and serve.
Tamagoyaki can be served warm or at room temperature.
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Tomoka's Note
This is a very simple home-style tamagoyaki made with eggs, mirin and a little salt. I like this version as a starting point because you can focus on the rolling technique first. Later, you can try other versions with dashi, soy sauce or a little sugar depending on the flavour you like. I will add more recipes here in the future. For this recipe, I used hon mirin that I bought from a Japanese grocery store. If you cannot find hon mirin nearby, a naturally fermented mirin such as Spiral can be a useful option from local stores. I often use it when I run out of hon mirin. If you are not sure about the difference between hon mirin and mirin-style seasoning, this guide may help: What Is Mirin? The Sweet Japanese Ingredient I Always Keep in My Pantry A few tips to help it turn out well: Keep the heat around medium-low. Hon mirin contains sugar and alcohol, so tamagoyaki made with mirin can brown more easily than plain rolled egg. After heating the pan over medium heat, lower it slightly and cook around medium-low. This helps keep the colour soft and yellow. Oil the pan each time. Each time before you pour in more egg mixture, lightly oil the pan again with folded kitchen paper. Try to oil the sides and the front edge of the pan too, so the egg does not stick and rolls more easily. Do not worry if the first roll is messy. The first roll becomes the centre of the tamagoyaki, so it does not need to look perfect. The second and third layers will wrap around it and help the shape come together. If you see large bubbles while cooking, gently pop them with chopsticks so the inside looks smoother when sliced. Tamagoyaki is lovely with rice, in a bento or as a small side dish for a simple Japanese meal.
Aussie Kitchen Tips
A tamagoyaki pan makes it easier to get the classic rectangular shape, but you do not need one to start. A small non-stick frying pan works well too. The shape may be a little different, but the flavour will still be lovely. If you make tamagoyaki often, a tamagoyaki pan can be useful.