Fried eggs are probably one of the most commonly eaten egg dishes in the world, but Medamayaki, a Japanese-style fried egg, is prepared in a slightly different way. You don't need any uniquely Japanese ingredients or seasonings to make it. Give it a try and compare its taste to the one you usually have.
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What is Medamayaki?
Medamayaki is the Japanese name for fried eggs, made by cracking eggs into a pan and frying them. Medama means eyeball, and yaki is to fry, and this dish is called medamayaki because it looks like an eyeball.
So far, it is just fried eggs with a Japanese name, but one of the Japanese methods of making fried eggs is a bit unique.
Cooking method
Sunny-side up or over-easy (over-medium) is perhaps the most common way of frying eggs in the world. On the other hand, in Japan, the most popular method of preparing fried eggs is by steaming. In other words, the eggs are cracked into a pan, covered with a lid, and cooked with steam.
In fact, I have ordered sunny-side up fried eggs at hotels in Japan, but what was served to me was a fried egg that had been steamed. This shows how widespread and popular steaming is in Japan.
While perceptions may vary from person to person, many Japanese people would recognize that sunny-side up fried eggs are actually steamed, fried eggs.
Advantages and disadvantages of steaming method
There are advantages and disadvantages to fried eggs prepared by steaming.
The advantage of steaming is that the yolk can be easily cooked. With sunny-side up eggs, it takes time to cook the yolk, and with over-easy (over-medium) eggs, it takes effort to flip the fried eggs and the yolk may be broken. In contrast, steaming allows the yolk to cook through quickly while retaining its shape.
The disadvantage of steaming is that the yolk may have a whitish appearance. This happens because the top of the yolk is heated by the steam. Additionally, since a lid is used in the cooking process, there is one more thing to wash.
In Japan, fried eggs are often eaten for breakfast, so steaming is a popular way to prepare them quickly during busy morning hours.
Changes in egg state
The following shows how changes in egg state are affected by the 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 a little 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 eaten raw, so fried eggs are often prepared in a semi-cooked state. Depending on the sanitary conditions of the eggs available in your neighborhood, cook them as hard as you like, being careful to avoid the risk of food poisoning.
Condiments
In Japan, fried eggs are often seasoned with a variety of condiments. Personally, I prefer salt and pepper, but some people like to use soy sauce, Japanese Worcestershire sauce, tonkatsu sauce, ketchup, or shichimi (a Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients).
If you are interested in making a more Japanese-style fried egg, try a small amount of soy sauce over the fried egg on the plate instead of seasoning with salt and pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp oil / butter
- pinch of salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
Step-by-step instructions
🕒 Total 5 mins
Step 1
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the pan is heated, crack the eggs into the pan as close to the surface as possible.
Step 2
When the whites begin to set, cover the pan. Reduce heat to low and steam for 3 minutes (or your preferred heat level and time).
Step 3
Remove the lid and sprinkle the eggs with salt and black pepper.
To Store
It is not suitable for storage and should be eaten as soon as it is made. Storing it can lead to salmonella growth and food poisoning.
To make it more delicious
Although not included in the recipe on this page, you can improve 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 white, which makes the egg taste richer.
This technique has been used by renowned Japanese hotels. I recommend trying it if you value taste over effort.
Tips on how to make
- (If eggs are not cracked into a sieve) Crack the eggs as close to the pan as possible. This will help keep the eggs in nice shape.
- It is not necessary to add water when steaming eggs. Adding water will dilute their flavor. The water needed for steaming is only what is contained in the eggs.
Recipe Card
Medamayaki (The Japanese Way of Making Fried Egg)
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp oil / butter
- pinch of salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the pan is heated, crack the eggs into the pan as close to the surface as possible.
- When the whites begin to set, cover the pan. Reduce heat to low and steam for 3 minutes (or your preferred heat level and time).
- Remove the lid and sprinkle the eggs with salt and black pepper.
Notes
- It is not suitable for storage and should be eaten as soon as it is made. Storing it can lead to salmonella growth and food poisoning.
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