I have gone Japanese food crazy lately. It all started after my recent trip to Tokyo.
While I always have food crushes, this time it’s more substantial. I am motivated to learn more about Japanese cuisine and to understand the basic techniques of making Japanese food, precisely Japanese home cooking.
My current love affair with Japanese food has gotten me some new kitchen utensils: a daikon grater, a tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet) pan, and a sushi mat. I have also bought a couple of new Japanese cookbooks: Kaiseki Cookbook and Japanese Homestyle Cooking. (Both are great cookbooks!) And my pantry is now choked full of Japanese ingredients: sansho (Japanese variation of Sichuan peppercorn), konbu/kombu (dried kelp), bonito flakes, ponzu, and more miso.
For the past two weeks, I have been reading through my new cookbooks and testing out various Japanese recipes. As a home cook, the process of experimenting with unfamiliar ingredients and new techniques is inspiring. It has been very fun and fulfilling. I enjoy every minute of it.
I am a big fan of Japanese rolled omelet or tamagoyaki–the slightly sweet but delicate omelet that is often packed into Japanese bento boxes and also served at sushi bars as tamago nigiri. I love its aesthetic: yellow and all rolled up in a small package that is easily picked up with a pair of chopsticks. Plus, the taste is utterly delicious and unlike any omelets I have ever tasted!
The first time I tried making tamagoyaki, I failed in its shape and form even though I got the recipe right. There is a specific technique–a skill if you will–in making Japanese rolled omelet or tamagoyaki.
My second attempt was a success, not a perfect execution yet, but I got it right. I still need to work on its presentation, the texture and consistency of each layer, and also the heat.
Anyway, I did capture some pictures of the step-by-step process for tamagoyaki, but do refer to the video clips here and here for a better guide.
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Rolled Omelet Recipe (Tamagoyaki)
Tamagoyaki is a slightly sweet, delicious, and delicate omelet that is often packed into Japanese bento boxes and also served at sushi bars as tamago nigiri.
Ingredients
Garnish:
- 1 inch daikon
- Shiso leaves, (optional)
Instructions
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Mix the dashi stock or water with dashi-no-moto with mirin, sugar, soy sauce, and salt. Add to the beaten eggs and stir well. Heat the omelet pan over medium heat. Soak a paper towel in a little oil and wipe the pan to grease it.
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Pour in some egg mixture and tilt the pan to coat evently. When the omelet starts to set, roll it up towards you using a pair of chopsticks or a spatula. Keeping the rolled omelet in the pan and push it back to the farthest side from you. Oil the empty part of the pan with the paper towel again. Again, pour in some egg mixture into the empty side, lift up the first roll with chopsticks and let the egg mixture runs underneath. When it looks half set, roll the omelet around the first roll to make a single roll with many layers. Repeat the process until all egg mixture is used up.
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Move the roll gently onto a sushi rolling mat covered with a clear sheet of plastic wrap. Roll the omelet firmly into the mat and leave to stand rolled for 5 minutes.
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Grate the daikon with a daikon grater or a very fine grater. Squeeze the juice out with your hand.
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Cut the rolled omelet into 1 inch slices crossways. Lay the shiso leaves (if using) on a plate and place a few pieces of omelet on top. Put a small heap of grated daikon to one side and add serve.
Recipe Notes
If you are using a regular pan and not the Japanese rectangle pan, follow the same method and cut off the irregular edges when serving. It works the same but it's slightly harder to roll the omelet.
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Jazzmin
Can I do this recipe in a regular circle pan? What size of pan should I use for this recipe, 10in or 12 inch circle frying pan. Did you use extra large eggs? Do you think if will taste ok if I don’t add the dashi no moto? Thank-you very much.
ryan
cool recipe, I’ll try it out.
Kid's play
My husband loves this but I struggle making it with a round skillet. It is “Oishi-i” nonetheless!
Rasa Malaysia
Yeah, it’s hard to make, even with the rectangle tamagoyiaki pan!!
Joe
Looks very pretty; mine never look quite as nice sadly. I use honey instead of sugar, that might be something interesting to try as well.
StrawberryPocky
I always saw tamagoyaki, but I never tasted it before!! I tried this recipe, and it tastes exactly how I imagined tamagoyaki to be!! :D It was salty, but a bit sweet! It took me five tries to get it rolled right….. -_- but I’ll keep trying to roll it out as beautiful as yours. :)
Rasa Malaysia
That’s great you tried the recipe. Well, it will take times to get it right, but you will get there. :)
FAMILY FIRST
Aah .. now i know how its done!
Anonymous
this is impressive!!! i am a newbie here.. i like to cook and bake too.. but i am still very fresh on this.. i am so envy of you to be so capable in making so many nice dishes!! ur entries always make me drool..
i am a big fans to japanese food too.. =D i guess i am going to try this very soon!!!
p/s: will you be posting any recipe on how to make nice chawan mushi??!!? =D
Kitti
ive really enjoyed reading your posts on Japanese food! I’ve got a Japanese-food-crush myself, so its exciting to see other people’s interest.
I thought you may be interested in one of my favorite online Japanese shops – Ichiban Kan – a very inexpensive Japanese type dollar store. If you’re at all interested in bento, or even fun stuff for around the house and kitchen, check it out. Its my newest obsession ;)
http://www.ichibankanusa.com/
keep up the great work!
ck lam
Can’t wait to see your posts on more Japanese food in the near future!
Piggy
wow, these are some perfect looking tamagoyaki! I like the picture too.
jake m
wow i like how it looks. it must be yummy!
Mrs Ergül
Please do 1 japanese steamed egg recipe for us! Thanks in advance!
Lyrical Lemongrass
Ah you’ve inspired me to take out my japanese cookbook and cook something special too!
天然パーマンTENNEN PARMAN [from Japan]
Hi, I am Tennen-Perman,E-mail from Japan.
I visited your site sometimes so far.
You have a cool site.
I linked your site in my blog.
I administer a blog talking about cooking.
Please link to my site in your ones if you like it.
http://impact-cook.blogspot.com/
thank you!
New Kid on the Blog
:) I don’t need to write long comments or so… just send me the tamagoyaki.
Katia
That looks yummy, though I don’t know if I want to attempt that anytime soon (I’m still not over my Chinese and Indonesian cooking phase.) But there’s another great book, called Japanese Cooking, A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji … and even though it’s a bit old, it has great illustrations of step-by-step process and a lot of yummy recipes, along with sauces and dressings.
Food For Tots
I also made tamagoyaki today but am still not skillful enough to roll out the egg like yours. Luvly rolls!
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)
I’ve seen these little pans in my Asian supermarket and been tempted to buy one, but never have. Now, with a good method for making the omelets, I might just have to treat myself, too!
limpepsi
The step-by-step pictures are helpful! I (my Japanese friend taught me)used normal fyring pan to cook Tamago before.I poured 1/3of the egg and rolled to the frying pan’s side. Once slightly cook, poured another round of the egg and rolled again. Continue until finished. Slowly builded up a thick Tamago. A bit messy but tasted deliciously!
Your Tamago is very beautiful! Makes me want to invest tamagoyaki pan.
MeetaK
anything to get new cooking gear! lol! i really enjoy japanese food too – but for some reason do not cook it too often at home. but i am hoping to take a few lessons from you. to start with i think i will try this one tonight!
Manggy
Oh, I forgot to say: Kaiseki is crazy-beautiful but it is also crazy CRAZY! I wouldn’t know the first thing about procuring 90% of the ingredients in that book :O
ChichaJo
I’m a big fam of Japanese food as well…sushi in particular :) Tamago is always one of the things we order. I am too wimpy to try it out at home though! Bravo to you and this tamago omelet looks perfect!
Manggy
Well done bee! I think Lunch In a Box also has a demo of the process. I was a little skeptical of tamago at first (I’m not a fan of eggs), but once I tasted them, I loved them!
Rosa's Yummy Yums
Really wonderful and perfectly rolled! Great pictures too!
Cheers,
Rosa
Marc @ NoRecipes
Nicely done! So you’re on a Japanese food kick huh? Maybe we should trade Malaysian cooking techniques for Japanese;-) I’ve always wanted to get better at cooking Malaysian food!
mycookinghut
Delicious! I love tamagoyaki! My tamagoyaki pan has not been used since my purchase a few months ago. Japanese food is yummy and looks delicate :)
Chocolate Shavings
I’ve been trying to make Japanese omelet for a while but I’m not that good at it yet. Yours looks great!