Ramen with spicy chilli sichuan pork mince served in a traditional Japanese ramen shop decorated with Japanese fonts and sake barrels.
One of the toppings that make restaurant ramen so delicious are ramen eggs, those soft-boiled, extremely savory eggs that come with bowls of ramen. But you can easily make ramen eggs at home if you put some effort and planning into it. We sought the advice of Pascale Yamashita, a recipe developer, food stylist, food photographer, and ardent food lover based in Japan, to assist us in learning how to prepare these Japanese soft-boiled, marinated eggs.
a soft-boiled Hanjuku ramen egg on a black plate on a black mat with Japanese fonts reading, “Invincible Great Gate,” in the traditional Japanese ramen restaurant.
Japanese soft-boiled eggs are called “ramen eggs” and are used as a ramen topping after being marinated in a sweetened soy sauce mixture. In Japan, ramen eggs are called ajitsuke tamago or ajitama. The literal translation is “taste-ball” because aji means “taste” and tama means “ball (or egg),” according to Yamashita.
According to Yamashita, the marinade ingredients in Japan differ depending on the ramen shop, but a soy-sauce base is the most typical. Ajitama was first served at Kan Chin Tei in Ogikubo, Tokyo (now closed), where the chef prepared ramen with a Taiwanese braised egg, an egg that had been marinated in soy sauce with herbs and spices. From there, the practice of topping ramen with savory, soft-boiled eggs gained popularity and quickly spread throughout Japan.
Eggs, soy sauce (or tamari), mirin, sake (or cooking white wine), sugar, and vinegar are required to make ramen eggs.
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IngredientsYield: 1 serving
a serving of this food contains 605 calories, 32 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 11 grams of monounsaturated fat, 3 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 55 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of dietary fiber, 2 grams of sugars, 23 grams of protein, and 2054 milligrams of sodium.
Note: Based on ingredients and preparation that are readily available, Edamam has estimated the data displayed. It shouldn’t be used as a replacement for advice from a qualified nutritionist.
According to Yamashita, the marinade ingredients in Japan differ depending on the ramen shop, but a soy-sauce base is the most typical. Ajitama was first served at Kan Chin Tei in Ogikubo, Tokyo (now closed), where the chef prepared ramen with a Taiwanese braised egg, an egg that had been marinated in soy sauce with herbs and spices. From there, the practice of topping ramen with savory, soft-boiled eggs gained popularity and quickly spread throughout Japan.
Make sure the eggs are submerged in the liquid mixture before placing them in the bag. For at least 24 hours or up to 2 days, marinate the eggs in the liquid after sealing the bag and removing any excess air. Change the position of the eggs occasionally while they are marinating to make sure they are marinated equally.
Ramen eggs, those soft-boiled, super savory eggs that accompany bowls of ramen, are one of the toppings that make restaurant ramen so delicious. But with a little planning and patience, you can easily make ramen eggs at home. To help us learn how to make these Japanese soft-boiled, marinated eggs, we consulted Pascale Yamashita, a recipe developer, food stylist, food photographer and avid food lover based in Japan.
Eggs, soy sauce (or tamari), mirin, sake (or cooking white wine), sugar, and vinegar are required to make ramen eggs.
Japanese soft-boiled eggs are called “ramen eggs” and are used as a ramen topping after being marinated in a sweetened soy sauce mixture. In Japan, ramen eggs are called ajitsuke tamago or ajitama. The literal translation is “taste-ball” because aji means “taste” and tama means “ball (or egg),” according to Yamashita.