Medamayaki (Japanese Style Fried Eggs)

Medamayaki is the Japanese name for fried eggs, made by cracking eggs into a pan and then frying them. "Medama" means eyeball, and "yaki" refers to frying. Accordingly, this dish is called 'medamayaki' because it resembles an eyeball.

So far, it might seem like just fried eggs with a Japanese name, but medamayaki often involves a slightly unique cooking method, as described below.

Sunny-side-up, over-easy, and over-medium are the most common ways of preparing fried eggs worldwide. On the other hand, in Japan, frying followed by steaming is the most popular method. In other words, eggs are cracked into a pan, fried, then steamed with a lid.

In fact, I grew up eating fried eggs prepared this way. Additionally, I have ordered sunny-side-up eggs at some hotels in Japan, but what I was served were eggs that had been fried and then steamed. This shows how widespread and popular the steaming method for preparing this dish is in Japan.

While perceptions might vary from person to person, many Japanese people would typically recognize that fried eggs are made by frying and then steaming.

There are advantages and disadvantages to cooking fried eggs using the steaming method.

One advantage is that the egg yolk can be easily cooked. With sunny-side-up eggs, it takes time to cook the yolk, and with over-easy or over-medium eggs, flipping them takes effort, and the yolk might break. In contrast, the steaming method allows the yolk to cook through quickly while retaining its shape nicely.

One disadvantage is that the yolk may develop a whitish appearance. This occurs because the top of the yolk is exposed to steam. Additionally, since a lid is used during the cooking process, there is an extra item to wash.

In Japan, fried eggs are often eaten for breakfast, so the steaming method is a popular way to prepare them quickly, especially on busy mornings.

The following shows how changes in egg consistency are affected by heat level and steaming time after placing eggs that have just been taken out of the refrigerator into a heated pan:

3 mins on Low heat: The yolk flows out when cut.
4 mins on Low heat: The yolk hardly flows out when cut, but it is still runny.

3 mins on Medium heat: The yolk flows out slightly when cut.
4 mins on Medium heat: The yolk doesn’t flow out when cut and is almost completely cooked.

Eggs available in Japan are safe enough to be consumed raw, so fried eggs are often prepared in a semi-cooked state. Depending on your preference or the safety of eggs available in your area, cook them until they reach your desired level of doneness, being careful to avoid the risk of food poisoning.

In Japan, fried eggs are seasoned with a variety of condiments. Personally, I prefer salt and pepper, but some people like to add soy sauce, Japanese Worcestershire sauce, tonkatsu sauce, ketchup, or shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice chili powder).

If you are interested in making Japanese-flavored fried eggs, try adding a small amount of soy sauce to them.

Ingredients

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Instructions

🕒 Total: 5 mins mins

Step 1
Heat oil or butter in a pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, crack the egg into it.

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Step 2
When the egg white begins to set, cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and let it steam for 3 minutes, or until it reaches your desired level of doneness.

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Step 3
Remove the lid and sprinkle salt and pepper over the egg (or add your preferred condiments after serving).

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To store

This dish is not suitable for storage, so consume it as soon as possible after making it. Storing it could lead to the growth of Salmonella bacteria, which poses a risk of food poisoning.

Although not included in the recipe due to the extra effort involved, you can enhance the flavor of fried eggs by adding an extra step. The process is simple: just crack the eggs into a sieve beforehand. This removes the watery part of the egg whites, which makes the eggs taste richer.

This technique has been used by prestigious Japanese hotels. I recommend trying it if you prioritize taste over convenience.