Kakitamajiru (Japanese Egg Drop Soup)

Egg drop soup is enjoyed around the world, but the Japanese version called "Kakitamajiru" is distinguished by its use of dashi broth, which gives it a unique flavor. With the perfect combination of dashi and eggs, you can savor a delicate and flavorful soup.

Jump to:

• What is Kakitamajiru?
• About dashi to be used
• Commonly used ingredients
• Ingredients
• Step-by-step instructions
• Tips on how to make
• Recipe Card

What is Kakitamajiru?

Kakitamajiru is a soup dish made by thickening seasoned dashi broth with starch and adding beaten eggs. Kaki means to stir, tama is a shortened word for "tamago" meaning eggs, and jiru refers to soup.

While many people might think of Japanese soups as miso soup, remembering how to make kakitamajiru expands your repertoire of soup dishes in Japanese cuisine. It has been one of my favorite soups since I was a child. The combination of dashi and eggs is incredibly delicious!

About dashi to be used

The dashi broth suitable for making kakitamajiru is bonito dashi (of course, awase dashi, which consists of kombu dashi and bonito dashi, is also acceptable).

Bonito dashi contains the umami component called inosinic acid, while eggs contain another umami component known as glutamic acid. These umami components are delicious on their own, but combining two or more different umami components is known to enhance their respective flavors and make them more delicious through a synergistic effect. The combination of eggs and bonito dashi is a classic pairing found in various Japanese dishes such as Chawanmushi (savory egg custard) and Dashimaki Tamago (rolled omelette with dashi).

For more information on how to make bonito dashi, please refer to this source.

Commonly used ingredients

The most common and traditional way to enjoy kakitamajiru is by adding only mitsuba (Japanese parsley) or green onions (scallions) as ingredients and savoring the flavors of the soup.

However, you can also add a variety of ingredients such as chicken, carrots, onions, spinach, tofu, kamaboko (fish cake), shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, wakame seaweed, and others to make it more filling. Kakitamajiru with a variety of ingredients is a nutritious and staple dish often found in school lunches in Japan.

Ingredients

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Step-by-step instructions

🕒 Total 10 mins

Step 1
Trim the base of the mitsuba, tear the leaves, and cut the stems into 0.8 inch (2cm) pieces.

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Step 2
Add bonito dashi to a pot and bring it to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low, and add salt and light soy sauce.

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Step 3
Mix the starch and water together in a small bowl. Gradually add the dissolved starch to the pot, stirring to blend. Keep simmering for about ten seconds to eliminate the powdery taste of the starch.

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Step 4
Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat it. Gradually pour the beaten egg into the pot while ensuring even distribution. Once you are certain that the egg mixture is cooked, stir it.

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Step 5
Turn off the heat and then add mitsuba.

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To Store

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Tips on how to make

• Use light soy sauce if possible. Although dark soy sauce can be substituted, light soy sauce will give this dish a transparent appearance.
• Add the starch dissolved in water to the dashi broth in order to thicken it. The thickened dashi will prevent the beaten eggs from sinking to the bottom of the bowl, allowing them to float until it's time to eat.
• The beaten eggs should be poured into the pan gradually and evenly. This will prevent the egg mixture from clumping together and create a fluffy texture. In Japan, it is common to pour the beaten eggs gradually using a chopstick to let them trickle down.
• After pouring the beaten eggs into the pot, make sure they have set before stirring them together. Stirring before the egg mixture is cooked will cause the soup to become cloudy.

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