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How to Make Onsen Tamago

A traditional Japanese snack that can be used as a side dish. Note the distinction from soft-boiled eggs: in soft-boiled eggs, the white is cooked while the yolk remains runny; in onsen tamago, the white is runny while the yolk is cooked.

Estimated Cooking Difficulty: ★★★

Essential Ingredients and Tools

Main Ingredients

  • Eggs

Essential Tools

  • Kitchen thermometer (preferably one with a clip)
  • Cup (no specific requirements; any cup will do)

Secondary Ingredients

Optional ingredients for garnish

  • Kelp soy sauce (a low-salt Japanese soy sauce used for seasoning the onsen tamago)
  • Scallions

Quantities

  • Use 1 egg, adjusting the quantity based on your appetite and the size of your pot.

Instructions

Boiling the Eggs

  • Fill a pot with tap water, ensuring the water level is about 3 cm above the eggs. Insert a thermometer into the water.
  • Turn on the heat or the induction cooktop. Gradually adjust the power or flame size to maintain the water temperature at 70 degrees Celsius.
  • Place the eggs in the pot. Do not stack the eggs on top of each other; they should all rest at the bottom with enough space to move around.
  • Maintain this temperature for 25 minutes.
  • Prepare a bowl of ice water.
  • Remove the eggs and immediately place them in the ice water, waiting for 3 minutes.
  • Crack the eggs into a small bowl to complete the preparation.

Additional Content

Flowchart

graph TD
    A[锅中加水，插入温度计] --> B[控制水温到70℃]
    B --> C[放入鸡蛋，保持水温为70℃ 25分钟]
    B --> D[准备冰水]
    C --> E
    D --> E[鸡蛋捞出放入冰水，等待3分钟]
    E --> F[鸡蛋打入小碗]

Notes

  • If using a mechanical thermometer (which does not require power), the probe must be submerged in the water by at least 6 cm. If using an electronic thermometer, there are no special requirements.
  • A slightly thicker pot is recommended for better temperature control.
  • Although holding at 70°C for 25 minutes is sufficient to kill Salmonella, it is still advisable to consume fewer raw eggs or purchase pasteurized eggs specifically labeled as safe for raw consumption.

If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improving the process while following this guide, please submit an Issue or Pull request.