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What is Niratama?

Niratama is a simple dish made of fried garlic chives and beaten eggs mixed with a variety of seasonings. The name comes from the Japanese words “nira” and “tamago” which mean garlic chives and eggs respectively.

Garlic chives, also known as Chinese or Asian chives, have a distinct taste from onion chives, which are commonly used in Western dishes. While onion chives have a mild onion flavor and are hollow in the middle, nira is flat, like a blade of grass, and has a stronger, more garlicky taste.

This dish is typically paired with rice and is a great snack to have while drinking too. It’s a popular dish at Chinese restaurants in Japan, and many people make it at home because it’s easy and quick to prepare.

Ingredients & Substitution Ideas

niratama ingredients on a white background with labels

Garlic chives: The star of this dish! I recommend cutting them into 3-4 cm lengths for optimal texture and ease of eating.
Large eggs: I used large-sized eggs in this recipe, but feel free to use any size you have on hand.
Seasonings: A tasty mix with oyster sauce, Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder (you can use regular chicken bouillon granules too), salt, sugar, and black pepper. Feel free to adjust the quantities to suit your taste preferences.
Sesame oil: Add this aromatic oil towards the end of cooking.
Japanese chili powder (shichimi togarashi): It’s optional, but a sprinkle of this spicy-citrusy condiment goes well with the dish.

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Niratama garlic chive and egg top down diagonal

Visual Walkthrough & Tips

Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Niratama at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.

If you prefer to watch the process in action, check out my YouTube video of this recipe for a complete visual walkthrough!

STEP

Season and whisk the eggs

whisked eggs and condiments in a mixing bowl

Crack the eggs into a bowl and add oyster sauce, Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder, salt, sugar and pepper. Whisk until well combined and set by the stove.

STEP

Fry the garlic chives

Heat up a pan on a high heat and add a drizzle of oil. Once hot, add the garlic chives and stir fry for 30 seconds.

While it’s common to add them straight to the egg mixture and simply cook them together, flash-frying the garlic chives first will help mellow out the flavor so that they don’t overpower the eggs. It also helps remove any excess moisture from the garlic chives, which stops them from making the eggs watery.

STEP

Mix with the eggs

Transfer the garlic chives to the bowl and mix before adding them back to the pan. This will ensure they’re evenly distributed before cooking.

STEP

Fry

scrambling seasoned eggs and garlic chives in a wok

Add a little more oil, pour the mixture into the pan, and scramble the eggs until they are almost cooked. Remove the pan from the heat when they are still a little runny, as they will continue to cook in the residual heat. Cooking the eggs fully will cause them to become overcooked and dry and lose their fluffiness.

STEP

Serve

niratama on a brown rectangular plate sprinkled with Japanese chili powder (shichimi togarashi)

Transfer to a serving dish and top with a drizzle of sesame oil and a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi (Japanese chili powder).

Enjoy!

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How to Store

It is not recommended to store niratama due to the nature of the dish.

If you want to store it, you can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. However, it is advisable to calculate the required amount beforehand, as storing it will significantly reduce its texture and taste.

Niratama garlic chive and egg lifted with black chopsticks

I hope you enjoy this Niratama recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!