Do you know the famous Japanese omelet? In Japan, it is called tamagoyaki (卵焼き or 玉子焼き), which literally means grilled egg. It can also be called dashimaki tamago (出し巻き卵) because of its shape and the dashi in its recipe. In this article, we will talk a little about the famous Japanese omelets that are quite different and very popular.
The Japanese omelet is made of fried eggs in different layers and then rolled up. They are usually prepared in a specific rectangular-shaped frying pan called makiyakinabe. There is an infinite variety of tamagoyaki, in the batter they make combinations with eggs, dashi, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and even sake. It is often filled with whatever the person desires, from savory things to sweet things.
Tamagoyaki is usually served with other dishes, but it is also popular as breakfast and brunch. Some people use it in the preparation of obento (bento box), it helps in various combinations to create culinary art. This recipe is very simple, and you can add the seasoning or filling you want. The big difficulty is trying to make an omelet with dashi, because the texture becomes thinner and more fragile, but it is much more delicious.
Different types of Japanese omelets
There are thousands of variations and different types of tamagoyaki or other Japanese omelets. Let’s see some below:
Iri Tamago – These are scrambled eggs forming flakes that are usually used as a topping for other dishes.
Usuyaki Tamago – A thin sheet-cooked omelet that is often used to wrap temari sushi or also to cut and create a Kinshi Tamago, a kind of shredded omelet resembling noodles that is also often used in sushi or as a topping for other dishes.
Omuraisu – A dish that consists of a fried omelet filled with fried rice and usually topped with ketchup. Very popular in maid cafes.
There are many other types of tamagoyaki that are defined according to their ingredients, thickness, and method of preparation. They usually take the name of the ingredients in the composition.
Recipe – How to make a Tamagoyaki?
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon of mirin sake;
- 1/2 teaspoon of shoyu (soy sauce);
- 1 tablespoon of sugar;
- 3 tablespoons of dashi;
- 1/2 tablespoon of oil;
- Filling and other optional ingredients;
First, beat the eggs with sake, shoyu, and dashi. Heat the non-stick frying pan with oil, and pour a little of the beaten eggs in an attempt to make a kind of thin pancake. Gently roll the omelet from one side to the other and leave it in the corner of the frying pan. Now you repeat the process, letting the next batter go underneath the already rolled omelet. Roll the next omelet over the already rolled omelet (you can do everything with chopsticks or a spatula).
After you have made and rolled all the omelets, you can place it on a bamboo mat to roll it better and make it firmer. Now just wait for it to cool, cut it into several pieces, and eat! You can see the whole process and different ways to make a tamagoyaki by watching the final videos below:
We also recommend reading: Why do Japanese people eat raw eggs? Is it dangerous?
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