For our first nostalgic recipe this time, I wanted to start with a recipe I’ve been meaning to make for a while now. Boiled eggs are one of the first things I learned how to cook as a kid and have remained a favorite snack to make in bulk whenever I have some eggs that are about to expire. But with this recipe, by marinating the humble boiled egg, it adds an additional burst of salty, savory, umami flavor that makes normal boiled eggs boring by comparison.
Ramen Eggs, as the name suggests, are typically served alongside ramen as a more deluxe topping, adding a nice richness and some protein to this delicious noodle soup. Ever since I’ve had my first ramen egg, I’ve always ordered my ramen with one, even if it costs a little extra, because I think that it adds such a nice luxurious taste to any bowl of ramen, even instant ramen!
The only reason I don’t make these too often is that peeling eggs does take a bit of time, especially if you’re trying to peel them perfectly, but as I mentioned earlier, when I have some eggs that are about to expire, boiling them is a great use for them, since they last longer cooked and since they’re a lot easier to peel cleanly when the eggs are less fresh. And if you’re cooking them to have a jammy center, they’ll be more fragile than a fully cooked boiled egg, so anything to help make them easier to peel without breaking into the yolk on accident will be super helpful.
This recipe is really simple, so there’s not really much customization outside of how long you cook your eggs. But of course, with you in charge of the marinade, you can adjust the flavor and intensity of your ramen eggs to suit your palette. I really like the marinade in this recipe, but you are welcome to add some spicy peppers to heat it up or some minced garlic and ginger to add some more flavor.
But regardless of what marinade you use, this flavor-packed jammy egg will be a great snack to enjoy on its own or as a fancy topping for your homemade bowl of ramen, made completely from scratch or even just instant ramen.
Ingredients:
- 6 eggs (or more in case you mess them up)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1 cup dashi stock (1 tsp dashi powder; 1 cup water)
Step 1: Boil Eggs for 6-7 Minutes; Then Place into Ice Bath
First, we’ll cook the eggs, so bring enough water to boil to be able to cover your eggs in a medium pot over high heat.
Then once the water starts to boil, carefully place the eggs in using tongs or a spoon and cook the eggs for 6-7 minutes (if you wish to have a custardy yolk, but you’re welcome to cook them longer if you wish). In either case, stir the eggs occasionally for the first couple of minutes, so the egg yolk will set right in the middle.
Then, while we wait for that to cook, prepare an ice bath. Then, when the eggs are done, remove them from the hot water and place them immediately into the ice bath.
Step 2: Mix Together Marinated Sauce
While we wait for that to cool, we’ll make the marinated sauce. So, in a sauce pan, add your soy sauce, mirin, and dashi stock (or water and dashi powder).
Then, bring this to boil over high heat, and let this boil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the flavors are well combined. Then, let it cool completely.
Step 3: Peel Your Eggs
While we wait for that to cool, we’ll peel the eggs, so crack it on one side and then carefully peel off the shell completely and place the deshelled eggs into another clean bowl.
Step 4: Pour Cooled Marinade Over Eggs; Let Them Marinate for a Couple of Hours to 24-48 Hours
Then, once all of your eggs are ready, pour the cooled marinade over the eggs, until they are completely covered with the sauce.
Then, top this with a clean piece of paper towel and let the towel soak up with marinade. This’ll help make sure the entire egg evenly absorbs the marinade, to ensure even coloring.
Then, cover this with some plastic wrap, ensuring that the eggs and marinade are sealed in the bowl.
Let your eggs marinate in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, or for up to 24-48 hours, depending on how marinated you want your eggs to be.
Step 5: Strain Eggs from Marinade; Place into Sealable Container; & Enjoy!
Then, when your eggs are marinated to your liking, strain them from the marinade and place them into a sealable container and it will last up to a week or so in a fridge. Slice them in half and serve it with some ramen or enjoy it on its own, and with that, your Ramen Eggs are ready to eat.