Japanese Mayonnaise

Ingredients

• 2 pieces fresh egg yolks
• 200 ml canola oil
• 25 ml Japanese rice vinegar
• 15 ml kombu and bonito dashi stock
• 1 tsp mild Japanese mustard or mild Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 1 pinch food-grade monosodium glutamate

Method

1. Bring the egg yolks, rice vinegar, mustard, and dashi to room temperature. An emulsion comes together better when the ingredients are not cold and the oil is incorporated without a thermal shock.
2. Place the egg yolks in a narrow, stable bowl. Add the mustard, sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, and rice vinegar. Whisk until you have a homogeneous base that is slightly paler and already a little foamy.
3. At first, add the canola oil drop by drop, whisking constantly. The sauce should gradually thicken, become glossy, and leave clear trails behind the whisk.
4. Once the emulsion is well established, continue adding the oil in a very thin stream. If the sauce becomes too firm, stop adding oil for a moment and whisk until smooth before continuing.
5. Gradually whisk in the cooled dashi, whisking gently. The desired texture is looser than a classic French mayonnaise: it should form a supple ribbon that falls slowly, without being as liquid as a vinaigrette.
6. Taste and adjust the balance only with a very small touch of salt or vinegar if necessary. The sauce should be gentle, tangy, umami-rich, and light, without dominant heat.
7. Transfer to a clean jar or squeeze bottle. Cover and let rest in the refrigerator before serving so the acidity can round out and the texture can stabilize.
8. Serve in a generous drizzle over takoyaki, okonomiyaki, yakisoba, or Japanese grilled vegetables. The sauce should coat the food without immediately running off and retain a satiny surface.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

485.6 kcal

Protein

3.23 g

Carbohydrate

1.54 g

Fat

52.56 g

Fibre

0.01 g

Calcium

2.41 mg

Iron

0.04 mg

Magnesium

0.91 mg