Onsen tamago (low-temperature egg)

Ingredients

• 2 pieces whole fresh eggs (large)
• 100 ml dashi (Japanese kombu and bonito broth)
• 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 bunch scallion (green onion)
• 1200 ml water

Method

1. Take the eggs out of the refrigerator in advance so they are not ice cold: a cold shell may crack when placed in the hot water.
2. Heat water in a saucepan until boiling, then turn off the heat and let the temperature drop: the ideal is water between 65 and 70 °C (measure with a thermometer, or pour the boiling water into a second saucepan and wait about 5 minutes).
3. Gently lower the eggs into the hot water using a slotted spoon: they must be completely submerged. Cover the saucepan.
4. Let cook off the heat for 30 to 40 minutes, maintaining the water between 63 and 68 °C if possible (place the saucepan back over very low heat for a few seconds if it cools too much, or add a little hot water). The white should remain pearlescent and wobbly, and the yolk should thicken without hardening.
5. During the cooking time, prepare the sauce: mix the dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in a small bowl. Reheat for a few seconds if needed; the sauce is served warm or at room temperature, never piping hot.
6. Thinly slice the scallions into little rings, including the green parts.
7. At the end of the cooking time, remove the eggs and cool them very briefly under a stream of cold water, just to stop the coagulation of the white without cooling the yolk.
8. Crack each egg in the middle like a soft-boiled egg, then slip it whole into a small individual bowl: the white, barely set, forms a silky veil around the yolk.
9. Pour the dashi sauce around the egg, sprinkle with the sliced scallions, and serve immediately with a small spoon.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

102.5 kcal

Protein

7.32 g

Carbohydrate

5.33 g

Fat

5.16 g

Fibre

0.17 g

Calcium

5.05 mg

Iron

0.37 mg

Magnesium

6.28 mg