Is my ‘Weeaboo’ (look it up) brother working his way through the letter T in the Japanese foodie lexicon? First up for my Christmas present he provided me with the kit to create Takoyaki; now for my birthday a Tamagoyaki pan set arrived.
I mastered the former delicacy, fried octopus in crispy dashi batter doughnuts; more practice may be needed for the latter, a rolled omelette geared towards breakfast or the bento box (lunch box). Perhaps on the pan’s debut the four month-old kimchi filling was a soggy step too far. I care not that Korea intruded; the Japanese are not always purist at the snackier end of their cuisine. Still maybe a toasted wafer of nori might have been a better bet. Dashi soup stock is also popular with grated daikon radish perhaps.
With the rectangular pan, pink as sakura cherry blossom, came, equally roseate, a brush for oiling and a paddle for omelette flipping. Oh and a black oblong plate on which to slice and display my Tamagoyaki. My brother kept the tee-shirt.
Ingredients were lined up. Four very fresh eggs to be beaten with the inclusion of one tablespoon of soy sauce, the same amount of mirin (I fought shy of recommended sugar) and a pinch of salt. A splash of cooking oil brushed onto the 8in x 4in pan (called a Makiyakinabe), on a medium heat and we are ready to start. Entry level stuff. It could all be more delicate but it’s early days..
Add a third of your egg mix into the heated pan. Once the egg has cooked slightly so that the top is still slightly uncooked, spread on a third of the kimchi, push it over to the side of your pan, turning over. Add oil. Then add another third of the egg mix, allow to cook slightly and add another third of the kimchi. Turn over again. Add oil. Repeat all this for a final time, rolling up to create layers. Lift gently on to black plate, let it cool and then slice horizontally.
Had it turned out the neat cylinder so suited to sushi selection (see main image)? Not really, but I’ll be working on it. Here’s how the experts do it: https://youtu.be/2VJBABOA22Q