Do you know the famous Japanese omelette? In Japan, it is called tamagoyaki (卵焼き ou 玉子焼き), which literally means grilled egg. It can also be referred to as 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 omelettes that are quite different and very popular.
The Japanese omelette is made of fried eggs in different layers that are then rolled up. They are usually prepared in a specific rectangular-shaped pan called a 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 to sweet things.
Tamagoyaki is often served with other dishes, but it is also popular as breakfast and a meal. Some tend to use it in the preparation of obento (bento), it helps in various combinations to create a culinary art. This recipe is very simple, and you can add any seasoning or filling you like. 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.
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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 – They are scrambled eggs forming flakes that are usually used as a topping for other dishes.
Usuyaki Tamago – A cooked omelet in a leaf shape that is often used for wrapping temari sushi or also to cut and create a Kinshi Tamago, a kind of grated omelet resembling noodles that is also often used in sushi or as a topping for other dishes.
Omuraisu – A dish consisting of a fried omelet stuffed with fried rice and usually topped with ketchup. very popular in maid cafe restaurants.
There are many other types of tamagoyaki that are defined according to their ingredients, thickness and 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 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 skillet with oil, and pour a little of the beaten eggs in an attempt to make a thin pancake. Gently roll the omelet from one side to the other and leave it in the corner of the skillet. Now you repeat the process, allowing the next batch to go underneath the already rolled omelet. Roll the next omelet over the already rolled omelet (you can do everything with a chopstick or a spatula).
After you have made and rolled all the omelets you can place them on a bamboo mat to roll them up better and make them firmer. Now just wait for it to cool, cut 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 the Japanese eat raw eggs? Are you in danger?