Perfect Ramen Eggs (Ajitama Recipe) That Will Upgrade Your Bowls

There's nothing like that moment when you slice open a perfectly cooked ramen egg and watch the knife glide through the soy-stained white to reveal the sunset orange jammy centre. It's pure satisfaction. Today we're making Ajitama eggs with the perfect texture every single time. For a printable version of this recipe, visit my website, just google Ajitama space statue to find me. Let's start with our marinade. Add 125 millilitres of water, quarter teaspoon of dashi granules, two tablespoons of soy sauce, two tablespoons of mirin, half teaspoon of honey, one tablespoon of sake, eighth teaspoon of rice vinegar, eighth teaspoon of toasted sesame oil, a thick slice of ginger and about two inch piece of the green part of a Japanese leek to a small saucepan. Bring that mixture just to a gentle simmer. We're not looking for a rolling boil, just enough heat to marry the flavours. Let it bubble away for about a minute. This gives the alcohol in the sake and mirin a chance to evaporate. Then fish out and discard that aromatic ginger slice and leek green and set this marinade aside to cool completely. For the eggs themselves, fill a deep pot with enough water to cover your eggs, add a teaspoon of salt, which helps cushion those delicate shells. Heat it to a steady 90 degrees celsius or about 190 degrees fahrenheit. This temperature is crucial for getting the perfect texture. Now gently lower your eggs into the water. I'm using six large eggs and here's a tip, give each egg a lazy twirl for the first 30 seconds. This gentle spin is the secret to keeping that yolk centred when you cut it open later. Maintain that water at about 90 degrees celsius. Now you're in charge of your yolk destiny. Want that runny centre that oozes just a little, set your timer for six minutes exactly. Prefer something a bit more set but still creamy, go for seven minutes. That's my personal sweet spot. Like them firmer, let them bubble away for up to eight minutes and 30 seconds. While your eggs are cooking, prepare a bowl of ice water. When the timer sounds, quickly plunge your eggs into the ice bath. Leave them there until they're cold to the touch, which takes about 10 minutes. Now let's peel the eggs. Crack the shells all over, then peel them while they're submerged in cold water. The water gets between the shell and the egg, helping it come off in large satisfying pieces rather than tiny frustrating shards. I bought these eggs this morning so they're fresh but interestingly, older eggs are less likely to break when boiling and easier to peel after. Just something to keep in mind if you plan to make ramen eggs often. Pat each peeled egg dry with paper towels. We want to remove any excess moisture that could potentially dilute our carefully crafted marinade. For the marinating stage, place the peeled eggs in a zip top bag and pour in the cold marinade. You might be wondering, can't I just use a container instead of a bag? Well, I have a good reason for using a zip lock this time. It makes sure of even coverage. If you use a container, either you'll need a lot more marinade or you need to flip the eggs regularly to ensure even coloring and flavoring. Japanese ingredients can be expensive so to reduce waste, I've designed this recipe so that you only need a small amount of marinade. Now the marinating time is where your personal preference comes into play. Want just a tiny hint of flavor? Go for 45 minutes minimum. But if you're after that full-bodied umami experience, give them one to two days. Personally, I start enjoying mine after one day when the whites have taken on the beautiful color but the yolks still maintain the vibrant color and I usually finish all six within three days. Enjoy perfectly cooked and seasoned Ajitama eggs on top of your favorite ramen or do what I often do and enjoy them as a protein-packed snack straight from the fridge. Want even more delicious recipes? Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description. Okay, let's go over the ingredients one more time and if you're ready to cook, grab the written instructions by clicking the full recipe box with a picture that's about to pop up on your screen. There we go, the link to the full recipe is on the screen for you now and if you want to make ramen broth using these eggs, don't miss my ramen playlist popping up on your screen as well. Thanks so much for watching and I hope to see you in the next one. Bye!