Onsen Tamago

Name: How to cook Onsen Tamago - cookcic.com
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Us

Introduce

Chef :

King-Crimson

Onsen Tamago

Originally, the Japanese created this technique for poaching eggs (tamago) by submerging the eggs (shell and all) into a hot spring (onsen). Most of the hot springs maintain a constant temperature of 145°F (65°C) and after 30 minutes you get a perfectly cooked Onsen Tamago. Unfortunately, most of us do not have the luxury of living near a hot spring, so we have to try to simulate those conditions. Please be sure to read the notes at the end of the recipe on why you should add cornstarch to the cooking water.

Ingredient

Food ration :

2 servings

Cooking time :

15 mins

1 tbsp

water

1 tbsp

cornstarch

2 large

eggs

Cooking instructions

* Step 1

Make a slurry of 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Mix well and set aside.

* Step 2

In a small sauce pan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.

* Step 3

Once the water has come to a boil, remove from heat. Mix in the cornstarch slurry. Add the 2 eggs and cover with a lid. Allow to sit for 8 minutes.

* Step 4

Remove eggs from the sauce pan with a slotted spoon and briefly rinse them in cold water. (Just enough so they are cool to the touch)

* Step 5

Crack the eggs on the side of a bowl and split them apart. The whites and yolks should fall right into the bowl. (If the egg whites stick to the shell, don't worry, you can scoop them out with a spoon. They are still velvety)

* Step 6

Congratulations! You just made your Onsen Tamago! Add them to your favorite dish or have them for breakfast or a snack. I like to put a couple dashes of light soy sauce and a sprinkle of noritamago furake. *whispers* ...and then I spoon it over toast....but don't tell anybody. *blush*

* Step 7

Cooks Notes: You may be wondering why we add cornstarch to the boiling water. Remember, we are trying to recreate the conditions of an Onsen (hot spring) which has an ambient water temperature of around 145°F. Since we are heating our water to boiling (212°F at sea level), we use the cornstarch to keep the heat from convecting into eggs too quickly.

* Step 8

Cooks Notes: While a cooking time of 8 minutes works for me, it may not work perfectly for you. We live at 13 feet above sea level. If you are at a higher altitude, you probably will have to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Basically you will need to experiment. It would be great if folks could post their altitudes and cooking times on here to help others.

Note: if there is a photo you can click to enlarge it