Japanese · Japan

Tamagoyaki

Tamagoyaki is a rolled Japanese omelette — layers of seasoned egg cooked in a rectangular tamagoyaki pan, rolled into a cylinder as each layer sets, until a layered log of egg is formed. Sweet-savoury in flavour (mirin and dashi in the egg mixture), springy in texture, and cut into cross-sections that reveal the beautiful spiral layers. It is both a breakfast item, a bento component, and a sushi topping (tamago nigiri).

Serves4

Total15 min

Sourced2of 8 in BC

Cook

The Market List

The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.

large eggs

room temperature

Your own market

15 ml

mirin

Not yet stocked in British Columbia

10 ml

dashi

Not yet stocked in British Columbia

5 ml

usukuchi soy sauce

Purely Artisan Foods · San Diego →

2 ml

salt

Your own market

10 g

vegetable oil

for the pan

Your own market

2 g

aonori

dried seaweed powder

Origin · JapanT Amano Trading · Vancouver →

5 g

bonito flakes

for topping

Origin · United StatesNot yet stocked in British Columbia

Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.

The Method

Whisk eggs with mirin, dashi, usukuchi soy sauce, and salt until homogeneous; do not aerate.

Heat rectangular tamagoyaki pan over medium-high heat; lightly oil with damp cloth.

Pour thin layer of egg mixture (about 6 mm); let set for 20 seconds until edges firm.

Roll cooked layer toward far end using wooden spatula; re-oil empty section.

Pour another layer of raw egg under rolled portion; set 20 seconds, roll again.

Repeat steps 4–5 until all egg is incorporated and roll reaches 5 cm diameter.

Transfer to wooden board; let rest 2 minutes, then slice into 2 cm pieces with wet knife.

Arrange on plate; dust with aonori and top with bonito flakes; serve warm or room temperature.

Sensory Tests

◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where tamagoyaki lives or dies is the first roll — when the first thin layer is half-set, use chopsticks or a spatula to fold one edge over and roll in one smooth motion to the opposite end of the pan. If the layer tears, the egg was too thin or cooked too much. If the layer refuses to roll, it is not set enough. The first roll is the practice roll — subsequent rolls will be smoother.

Pillar V

Cross-cuisine parallels are part of membership.

The dishes this one teaches you, across the cuisines — on every recipe.

Enter · from $49 a year