How to Cook Dashimaki Tamago, Japanese Omelette

Thursday, January 10, 2019

How to Cook Dashimaki Tamago, Japanese Omelette

I cooked this dashimaki tamago (だし巻き卵) as one of osechi dishes (おせち料理), Japanese New Year's foods. Actually, dashimaki tamago is eaten all year round in Japan. Dashimaki tamago is a type of tamagoyaki (卵焼き, 玉子焼き), Japanese omelette. While regular tamagoyaki is made of eggs and sugar or salt, dashimaki tamago is made of eggs, dashi soup and seasoning.

Tamagoyaki Pan

When I was in high school in Japan, I used to prepare bento for my school lunch by myself every day, and I always put tamagoyaki in it because it's very easy to cook with simple ingredients. At that time, I often used a tamagoyaki pan, a rectangular pan. However, this time, I used a regular cast iron skillet because I don't have a tamagoyaki pan now. ;) If you don't have a tamagoyaki pan, you can still make tamagoyaki with a regular flying pan. Rolling steps might be a little bit difficult for your first time, but you don't have to be perfect. When you cut your tamagoyaki at last, I'm sure it will look way better than you think and taste so good. :) Anyway, I'm going to share how to cook dashimaki tamago with you. :)

Ingredients (4 Servings)
4 Eggs (Beaten)
2 fl oz (60 ml) of Dashi Soup (1/2 Teaspoon of Hondashi + 2 fl oz of Water)
A Pinch of Salt
1/2 Teaspoon of Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon of Mirin
1 Tablespoon of Vegetable Oil

Materials
Tamagoyaki Pan (You can also use a regular flying pan.)
Makisu, Rolling Mat (Optional)

You can use your favorite dashi. Hondashi (ほんだし), made of bonito stock, is the most affordable and popular Japanese dashi powder. I love agodashi (あごだし), made of charcoal grilled flying fish. If you want to make the best dashimaki tamago like a traditional Japanese restaurant grade, shiradashi (白だし) might be the best choice.

1. Beat the eggs thoroughly. Add dashi soup, salt, soy sauce and mirin. Stir in.

2. Heat oil in a pan over medium low heat. Pour 1/3 of the egg mixture in the pan and spread it over the surface.

Cook it until half done and roll the layer of the egg up.

Move the rolled egg to the top side.

3. Pour some more egg mixture to cover the rest of the pan.

Cook it until half done and roll the layer of the egg up.

Move the rolled egg to the top side.

4. Repeat the process.

5. Spread the plastic wrap over the makisu, a sushi rolling mat. Put the omelette on top and cover it with plastic wrap.

Roll the omelet in the makisu, then shape it. If you have rubber bands, secure the makisu in three places with the rubber bands. Let it sit for 5 minutes.