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–+ servings

Ajitama Egg (Nitamago/Ajitsuke Tamago)

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Marinating Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients 
 

  • 125 ml water
  • ¼ tsp dashi granules vegetarians can use kombu or shiitake dashi granules
  • 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp sake
  • ½ tsp honey or the same amount of sugar
  • ⅛ tsp rice vinegar unseasoned
  • ⅛ tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 slice ginger root thick cut
  • 2 inch Japanese leek (naganegi) (green part) or regular leek/shallots
  • 6 eggs US large at room temperature - if you forgot to take them out, put them in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes
  • 1 tsp salt for boiling

Instructions 

  • Take a pan and add 125 ml water, ¼ tsp dashi granules, 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 2 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sake, ½ tsp honey, ⅛ tsp rice vinegar, ⅛ tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 slice ginger root and 2 inch Japanese leek (naganegi). Heat on medium and let it gently bubble for about 1 minute. Leave to cool.
    ajitama egg marinade simmering
  • Take a deep pot and fill it with enough water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Heat the water to 90 °C (194 °F) (just before boiling) and add 1 tsp salt.
    adding salt to a pan of water
  • Carefully lower 6 eggs into the water and set a timer for 6 minutes for runny yolks, 7 minutes for jammy yolks and 7.5-8 minutes for fudgy yolks.
    boiling eggs in a saucepan
  • Gently spin each egg to re-center the yolk.
    centering the egg yolk for ajitama
  • While you wait for, prepare a bowl of ice cold water. Once the timer goes off, plunge the eggs straight into the ice water bath and leave for 10 minutes.
    eggs cooling in ice cold water
  • Crack the shells and place them back in the water before peeling. Alternatively, peel them under cold running water. The water helps separate the egg from its shell. Dry each egg with kitchen paper.
    drying peeled eggs with kitchen paper
  • Once the marinade is cool enough to touch, place the eggs in a sealable freezer bag and pour in the cooled marinade.
    peeled eggs in a ziplock bag with ramen egg marinade
  • Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Place it in a container to prevent leaks, then marinate in the fridge for at least 45 minutes (for a light marinade), preferably overnight.
    ramen eggs soaking in marinade in a ziplock bag in a metal tray
  • Cut, serve and enjoy!
    soft boiled ramen egg cut in half on a black plate

Notes

  • Make sure the marinade has completely cooled before adding your eggs.
  • Use room temperature eggs to prevent cracking shells, and if you forgot to take them out in advance, you can place them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water while you wait for your pot to boil.
  • Keep the ramen eggs in the marinade stored in the fridge for up to 3 days (the flavor gets stronger each day). 
  • Use a ziplock bag rather than a Tupperware to make sure the eggs are fully covered. If using a box container, you will need to turn the eggs occasionally to make sure they're evenly flavored/colored.
  • Refrain from reusing the sauce (for both taste and hygiene reasons) for more eggs. It can be used in cooking for up to a week (stir fries etc) but make a fresh marinade for each batch of eggs.
  • You don't need to reheat the eggs, they will warm up in the ramen soup.
  • If you want to heat them up, place them in warm water that is no hotter than 70 degrees C/ 158 degrees F for a few minutes.
  • Add 30 seconds to the cook time if you live at high altitude (lower boiling point).
  • Note: The nutritional information includes the mariande.