Dashimaki Tamago

About This Recipe

Dashimaki tamago is the Japanese rolled omelette of kaiseki and sushi-bar tradition — a precisely layered yellow brick made from beaten eggs whisked with dashi, mirin, and a touch of soy, cooked in thin layers in a square tamagoyaki pan and rolled up on itself with chopsticks until you have eight or more strata of tender custard. Each new layer is poured under the previous roll, allowed to set lightly, then rolled again toward the front of the pan. The interior is just barely set — moist, slippery, almost custardy — and the surface is faintly bronzed. A great dashimaki tamago is a sushi chef's audition piece; many trainees spend a year perfecting it before being allowed to make sushi.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 4 largeeggs (preferably room temperature)
• 80 mlcold dashi (kombu-bonito stock)
• 1 tbspmirin
• 1 tsplight soy sauce (usukuchi)
• 1 tspcaster sugar (optional, Kanto-style)
• 1/4 tspfine salt
• 2 tbspneutral oil for greasing
• 1 small handfulgrated daikon, to serve
• 1 dropextra soy sauce to serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Beat the eggs

   In a measuring jug, gently beat eggs with chopsticks — do not whip; you want no foam. Stir in dashi, mirin, soy, sugar, and salt.

2. 2

   Strain

   Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into another jug. This catches any chalazae and ensures the layers stay smooth.

3. 3

   Prep the pan

   Heat a rectangular tamagoyaki pan (or a small nonstick skillet) over medium-low. Fold a paper towel into a small pad, soak it lightly in oil. Wipe the entire pan with the oily pad — keep this pad near the stove; you will use it between every layer.

4. 4

   First layer

   Pour a thin layer of egg into the pan (about 60 ml). Tilt to coat. As bubbles appear, pop them with chopsticks. When the surface is almost set but still wet on top, start rolling from the far edge toward you with chopsticks or a wide spatula, forming a small log at the front of the pan.

5. 5

   Re-grease and repeat

   Push the log to the back. Wipe the pan with the oil pad again, including under the log. Pour another thin layer of egg, tilting so it runs under the existing log. Wait until almost set, then roll the log over the new layer toward you. Repeat 5–7 more times until the egg mixture is finished.

6. 6

   Brown lightly

   Once finished, press each side of the omelette briefly against the pan to lightly bronze. Tip onto a bamboo sushi mat.

7. 7

   Shape

   Wrap the mat around the omelette and gently squeeze into a neat rectangular shape. Rest 2 minutes.

8. 8

   Slice and serve

   Slice into 2 cm thick pieces. Plate with a small mound of grated daikon and a single drop of soy sauce. Eat warm or at room temperature.

Variations

• •

  Add chopped scallion and bonito flakes to the mix for a more savoury bar-style tamago.

• •

  Sweet Kanto-style: increase sugar to 1 tbsp and skip the soy sauce for a dessert-like rolled omelette.

• •

  Add a strip of unagi or shiso between layers for a kaiseki special-occasion version.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 2 days wrapped tightly in plastic. Best at room temperature; do not microwave (the texture seizes up). Excellent in bento boxes the next day.

Frequently Asked Questions