Japanese Egg Recipes

For centuries, the Japanese knew that eggs fortify dishes with nutritious and economical protein. Quail eggs were the earliest poultry ova to be found in their diet; and later came chicken eggs when the Dutch spice traders introduced the bantam chicken to the Japanese islands. Here are a three traditional Japanese egg recipes.

Japanese Okinomiyaki

“Okonomi” means “what you like” and “yaki” means “fried.” These puffy egg pancakes are versatile since you can use any of your favorite foods--bits of meat, seafood or shredded vegetables—you have on hand. It often is referred to as a Japanese pizza because of its shape and toppings, but it tastes nothing like pizza but rather like a savory pancake.

Regions in Japan have their own slightly different version. Best known are the Kansai (or Osaka)-style which mixes all the ingredients together, and the Hiroshima-style which layers on the ingredients. This is a simple basic recipe:

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 cup flour

2/3 cups dashi*

2 eggs

1 tsp. soy sauce

3 cups cabbage, finely shredded

¼ cup green onions, sliced

¼ cup tenkasu (fried tempura batter bits) optional

Toppings to choose from:

sliced cooked pork

sliced chicken or beef

cooked seafood (shrimp, octopus, squid)

bean sprouts

Garnish and condiments:

Ao-nori (green seaweed flakes)

Katsuobushi (dried bonito shavings)

tonkatsu sauce or Japanese steak sauce

mayonnaise

pickled ginger slices

Heat a griddle or skillet until very hot. Brush with vegetable oil. In a small bowl, blend together the flour, dashi, eggs, and soy sauce. Batter should be thin. Add finely shredded cabbage, green onions and tenkasu, if using and blend well. Pour a little of the batter on the hot griddle to make a small pancake shape. Top with your favorite items. When the bottom is cooked, carefully flip over the okonomiyaki and continue cooking until done. Garnish with drizzles of tonkatsu sauce and Japanese mayonnaise katsuobushi, ao-nori and pickled ginger.

Some cooks prefer to cook the cabbage separately on the griddle and place it on the pancake with the rest of the toppings.

Chawanmushi

A savory egg custard, chawanmushi means “steamed in a cup” which is exactly how it is prepared. A chawan is a small Japanese rice bowl. Use chawan with fitted lids, if possible. If not, you can use custard cups and aluminum foil.

Custards often are thought of as desserts because in most cuisines, they are sweetened. But chawan mushi is a savory custard, flavored with dashi or fish stock and mixed with meat and seafood. Meat and custard might seem dissonant but think of it as a steamed, silky omelet in a cup then your taste buds will be delighted.

Chawan mushi means “steamed in a cup” which is exactly how it is prepared.  Chawan mushi benefits from the wet steaming process as custards benefit from being cooked in a water bath or bain marie. A chawan is a small Japanese rice bowl. Use chawan with fitted lids, if possible. If not, you can use custard cups and aluminum foil.

The Chinese have several steamed egg dishes but the consistency is more like spongy scrambled eggs. Chawan mushi has the creaminess of custard and the rich flavor of meat, seafood and mushrooms. It is wonderful. Be careful not to oversteam it or cook it too quickly or the mixture can coddle. It should look like a silky flan with no pockets or air holes.

The addition of gingko nuts is very traditional, but you can omit them if they aren’t available in your area. Or, you can buy them online. Shell and peel them before using.

Chawan mushi is eaten as a first course in Japan and served with a spoon. But it makes a lovely light luncheon offering, too.

Chawan Mushi

4 eggs

2 cups dashi or fish stock, room temperature

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. sake

1 chicken thigh, cut into bite-sized pieces

4 raw small shrimp, peeled, deveined

2 small Shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated and sliced thin

¼ cup kamaboko (pink and white fishcake) julienned into strips

8 gingko nuts, shelled and peeled

4 small mitsuba leaves (or spinach or watercress)*

In a small bowl, lightly beat eggs. Do not aerate them. Add dashi, soy sauce, sugar and sake. In each of four chawan bowls, place equal amounts of chicken, shrimp, mushroom, gingko nuts and kamaboko. Pour the egg mixture through a fine sieve then carefully pour equal amounts of strained egg mixture over fillings in chawan bowls. Only fill the bowls about half full. Place watercress strips or mitsuba leaves on top. Cover with chawan lids or aluminum foil. In a steamer, bring water to boil. Place chawans in steamer, cover and reduce heat to low. Steam for 15 minutes. Check for doneness by gently giving the bowls a shake. The filling should be somewhat set around the edges with some jiggling in the center. Some people poke the center with a bamboo skewer but I do not advise that as the custard make give a false reading!

When you dip near the bottom of the cooked chawan mushi, some dashi that separated from the egg mixture may flow upwards. This is common and does not denote that the custard was not cooked well.

*Use whatever small greens that are fresh and in season.

Oyako Donburi

Donburi is a ceramic bowl, and many Japanese meals are comprised simply of various meats, seafood or vegetable toppings served on top of steamed rice in a donburi. Oyako donburi, with the use of the chicken and egg, symbolized the mother and child relationship.

1 lb. chicken breast, sliced thin

½ cup onion, sliced thin

6 shiitake mushrooms, soaked until softened, sliced thin

6 bamboo shoots, sliced thin

1 small carrot, julienned

2 cup dashi* or chicken stock

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. sugar

¼ cup mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine not rice vinegar)

5 eggs, beaten

½ cup green onions, sliced

5 cups cooked white rice

In a medium-sized pot, bring dashi (fish stock) OR chicken broth to a simmer. Add soy sauce, sugar and mirin and blend. Put in carrots and cook for a few minutes. Then, add the chicken slices, mushrooms and bamboo shoots; simmer for about five minutes. Bring mixture to a boil. Pour in the beaten eggs, cover the pan with a lid and then turn off the heat. Let the contents steam for about three minutes. To serve, place equal amounts of steamed white rice into a donburi (ceramic bowl). Scoop cooked chicken and egg mixture on top of the rice. Sprinkle with chopped green onions.

*Dashi is Japanese fish stock. There are two ways to make dashi: One uses dried bonito flakes that are simmered in water and then strained. The other uses water and instant dashi powder. Both bonito flakes and instant dashi powder are available in Asian markets.