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| Shoyu tamago (top photo) & hard-boiled duck egg (bottom photo) |
Somehow within the last year or so, I came to appreciate the versatile protein-packed egg, desiring to try it in all its forms (some of which I have yet to try!) In particular, I have developed an affinity for the hard-boiled egg, which is probably the least exciting/blandest of the food's many incarnations. The cool, moist, clean semi-firmness of the egg white -- its natural moisture sopping up whatever condiment or salt granules you sweep it onto before popping it into your mouth -- and how the white's texture contrasts so well with the mealy, play-doughiness of the yellow interior, these are tactile qualities of the hard-boiled egg that I find appealing.
Therefore, it's no shock that at a local Korean grocery chain - H-Mart! - I was keen just last summer on trying the shoyu tamago sold there. Shoyu tamago translates from Japanese as "soy sauce egg," and though it is a popular in Japan both in ramen dishes and in bento boxes, it is also a Korean appetizer. Judging from the version of the soy sauce egg sold at H-Mart and a recipe available on KFoodAddict.com, I've ascertained that the difference between the Japanese shoyu tamago and Korean jangjolim is that the latter version includes chilies in the recipe. Being a spicy food lover, I'm partial to the Korean adaptation of the dish; however, I prepared shoyu tamago because I didn't have any chilies at hand. I primarily followed the recipe posted on cooking blog Eat Your Greens, but followed some of the procedural advice offered for the same dish on Just Bento.
As for the hard-boiled duck eggs (one is on display in the bottom photo), I recently reacquainted myself with this lesser-known egg. I was shopping in Whole Foods and saw that they were being sold after what was probably a seasonal hiatus. Having tried hard-boiled duck eggs for the first time only less than a year earlier, I recalled not being too impressed with them. I had found their boiled whites to be rather tough and less palatable in comparison to boiled chicken egg whites. Nevertheless, I decided to give them another shot. And I'm glad I did. I found a winning method for optimally preparing hard-boiled duck eggs, as well as a simple yet sinfully good way in which to serve them -- sliced in halves and sprinkled with fleur-de-sel (I used Maldon sea salt flakes, which basically constitute the luxury class of sea salt). With the crispy, crystalline sea salt working to enhance the egg's flavors and the tactile experience of consuming the duck egg, I was surprised by the duck egg's deliciousness. This time around, I was better able to appreciate it -- yes, the boiled white exterior is thicker and tougher than that of the chicken egg, but it is also denser and therefore more meaty. But it is really the yolk that makes the duck egg special: it is creamier, thicker, and less mealy than a chicken egg yolk. Sprinkled with Maldon Sea Salt, a boiled duck egg makes for an excellent snack or appetizer.
Recipes for both Sho-Yu Tamago & hard-boiled duck eggs after the jump!
Sho-Yu Tamago (Japanese "soy sauce eggs")
(adapted from justbento.com and eatyrgreens.com)
(3 servings: 3 eggs)
Ingredients:
3 hard-boiled eggs*, carefully peeled
3 tbsp of soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
3 tbsp of rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp of sugar
Procedure:
1) In a small pot, combine all three sauce ingredients -- the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and the sugar. Bring pot to a simmer over medium heat. Stir mixture until the sugar has dissolved.
2) Add your peeled hard-boiled eggs to the mixture. As the eggs soak up the hot marinade, use a spoon to push them around in the pot so that they can evenly absorb the sauce. Continue to push the eggs around until most of the sauce has been soaked up and all of the eggs possess an evenly-coated brown glaze (with three eggs, this process should take about 10 minutes, tops).
3) Either remove eggs from the pot and allow them to cool before serving or if you are postponing serving the eggs, you can store them in air-tight containers in the fridge. This is optional, but the eggs can be kept in whatever marinade if leftover in the pot.
*"Perfect" Hard-Boiled Eggs*
(from justbento.com via Julia Child)
Place eggs in a small-med sized pot and cover the eggs with cold water (they should be covered by approximately 1-inch of water). Heat the pot over medium heat until the water reaches a rolling boil. After the pot begins to boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Then, set a timer for 10 minutes (Note: I usually use large-sized eggs; however, the larger the egg size, the longer the time required to cover them). After the 10 minutes have elapsed, drain the water from the pot. This is where my technique diverges: rather than running the eggs under cold water, I fill up the pot with some cold water (I often add some ice) and allow the hot eggs to cool (for how long is up to you -- 10 minutes should be fine, but you may want to experiment -- I find that allowing the eggs some time to cool off makes it easier to peel them; however, let them sit in the water for too long, and you will have eggs that are not of an ideal firmness). Finally, crack and carefully peel the eggs. (I advise peeling them under cool running water, as this facilitates the process.)
Hard-Boiled Duck Eggs
(recipe from theKitchn.com)
Ingredients
duck eggs
Maldon Sea Salt flakes
Procedure
1) Place duck eggs in a pot, cover them with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat.
2) Once the water reaches a boil, turn off the heat source and let the eggs stand for 12 minutes (12 minutes for large eggs and about 11 minutes for medium-sized eggs).
3) Drain the eggs. Then, carefully crack the shells (this prevents overcooking).
4) Cover the lightly cracked eggs with cold water and allow them to cool. Once cool, peel and slice the eggs, and sprinkle them with a "tasting" salt, such as Maldon's Sea Salt.
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