It was a spring day in 1200s Japan, with cherry blossoms in bloom and picnics unfolding beneath the delicate pink petals. Amid the celebrations, legend has it that a nobleman brought along an unconventional snack – boiled eggs with salt. Since a ban by the Emperor in 675 AD eating meat was prohibited. When the influence of Portuguese traders began to shift culinary traditions in Japan, eggs found their way into the diet.
By the 18th century, egg peddlers appeared, who would carry eggs in a bucket on a pole and hawking ‘tamaaago, tamaaaaago’ (eeeeeggs, eeeeggs!). In 1785, the first egg cookbook – – appeared, describing how to cook 103 different egg dishes.
Today, eggs are a beloved staple in Japanese households, with Japan ranking as one of the top egg consumers in the world. The nation has created an impressive array of cult-classic dishes centred around this humble ingredient.
Onsen tamago: a luxurious condiment
If you'll excuse me, it's time for a snack. Credit: Camellia Aebischer
Ajitsuke tamago: a sweet and savoury snack
The eggsperiment Credit: Camellia Aebischer
Omurice: a nostalgic favourite
You don't have to be a kid (or chef) to appreciate how great this dish is. Credit: Audrey Bourget
“The seasonings for omurice are very simple – soy sauce, salt and ketchup,” Adam adds.
Omurice is somewhat of a poster child dish for a subset of Japanese cuisine called 'yoshoku' (Western-style Japanese food), which is found in cafes and often cooked in homes. Omurice is believed to have come into being in the 1920s, when a cafe-owner in Osaka wanted to impress a regular customer.
A variation on the original is Tonpeiyaki, a fluffy omelette filled with a pork and cabbage filling and served topped with sauces like mayonnaise and Japanese barbecue sauce. These are a popular bar snack.
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Omurice
Tamagoyaki: an omelette for anytime of the day
Credit: Alana Dimou
You’ll find this ubiquitous side dish, in bento boxes, served with breakfast, lunch and dinner, in convenience stores individually wrapped as a snack on-the-go, and at sushi restaurants, where it has been said that a tamagoyaki is the true ‘test of a sushi chef’s skill’. Eggs are mixed with dashi and cooked in a square frying pan.
When locals were coming around to the idea of eating eggs, one of the first dishes to become popular was ‘tamago fuwa fuwa’ – fluffy eggs, where beaten eggs were poured into dashi and steamed, which is thought to be the origin of tamagoyaki. A household staple these days, there are endless riffs, with ingredients added to the middle before folding – cod roe, slices of eel, nori.
Tamago sando: the cult classic sandwich
Konbini's tribute to the convenience store egg sandwich. Credit: Jason Barber
The tamago-sando can take two forms, traditionally depending on whether you were in the west or east of Japan. In the west, a tamago sando typically sandwiches an omelette between two slices of – Japan’s iconic soft and fluffy white bread – in the east, it’s egg salad made with Kewpie mayonnaise. At in Adelaide, Japanese Golden curry sauce is added to their egg sandwich for an extra local kick. At in Melbourne, you can find the west-side style, with an omelette.
Oyakodon: when comfort is needed
Credit: Adam Liaw
Chef Chase Kojima says that using chicken thigh is the secret to the recipe: "I think the ingredients have got to be really good, because it's a really simple dish – just chicken thigh, onion, a good-quality egg."
Kojima starts by seasoning the simmering chicken and onions with dashi, sugar, sake, mirin and soy sauce, then, add the whisked eggs and then put the lid on – no stirring. Once the egg is 70-80% done, he says, take it off the heat and ‘slide it on top of the rice’. Serve this rich and comforting classic while it’s hot.
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Oyakodon
Chawanmushi: elegant simplicity
Chawanmushi Credit: Adam Liaw
“Chawanmushi in Japanese means 'steamed in a teacup' and it's essentially just a selection of ingredients steamed in a very delicate egg custard," says Adam Liaw – an elegant, savoury Japanese custard.
Chawanmushi are found everywhere in Japan from izakaya (local gastropubs) to fine-dining restaurants. More common ingredients include shiitake mushroom, prawn, ginkgo nut and mitsuba (Japanese parsley) – with more elaborate additions spanning from ikura (salmon roe), to foie gras, (sea urchin) and even shaved truffles.
