If you just asked Google how to make “Japanese eggs”, my guess is you’re craving tamagoyaki, Japanese rolled omelettes. Mmm, MMM!
At first glance of the picture below, you might think it looks difficult to make. I promise you– with a little practice, this recipe is easy. Even if you don’t yet own a tamagoyaki pan, you can still make these eggs in a regular fry pan.
It’s the best Sunday morning breakfast. Or add a few pieces to your bento box to wow your colleagues at work. (Warning: you will be asked to share.)
What are these Japanese-style eggs?
You might know tamagoyaki from your favorite sushi restaurant. This recipe is made the same way in a rectangular or square-shaped tamagoyaki pan. Except this at-home version of tamagoyaki is made with fillings. And it’s savory, not sweet.
Tamagoyaki is a Japanese-style rolled omelette. Tamago means egg and yaki means fried or grilled. I used to confuse tamago-yaki with “fried egg” in Japanese, which is medamayaki.
Thin sheets of omelette are rolled up, layer by layer, inside a square or rectangular-shaped pan. Typically, they are are made slightly sweet with a fluffy, bouncy texture. It looks like a log or roll cake that’s sliced into cross-sections.
In Japan, you’ll typically find tamagoyaki as a staple at breakfast or as a side dish in a bento (lunch box). I often buy tamagoyaki at Tokyo Station as a healthy, low carb breakfast to eat on the shinkansen.
You can try out my favorite fillings or experiment with your own.
Is it your first time making Japanese eggs “Tamagoyaki”?
If it’s your first time rolling Japanese-style omelettes, it just takes some practice and patience.
If you’re still feeling some self-doubt, you may want to rewatch Karate Kid:
“First learn stand, then learn fly. Nature rule, Daniel-san, not mine.”- Mr. Miyagi
Even if your first attempt doesn’t turn out so pretty, it will still taste super oishi. Then, you can try again, and again, and again.
“Wax on, wax off. Wax on, wax off.” (Just use butter instead.)
I’m a visual learner. Watching a few “how to make tamagoyaki” videos on Youtube was the easiest way for me to learn.
Here’s a video I made on how to make basic tamagoyaki without fillings.
If you’re a beginner, this might be the best place to start.
Tamagoyaki Video Tutorials:
Here are some other videos that will help you learn the secret to making tamagoyaki:
Just One Cookbook (How to make sweet tamagoyaki) Watch Nami-san to learn how to roll tamagoyaki with cooking chopsticks.
Cooking with Dog (It’s what the title suggests) Watch this one if you want to learn how to cook tamagoyaki with your dog. Sorry, I couldn’t resist sharing this.
No Recipes (traditional tamagoyaki recipe) Marc shares some helpful tips on technique!
Eugenie Kitchen (how to make tamagoyaki without the pan) Eugenie’s instructions in this video tutorial are clear and easy to follow. She used a round pan.
Maybe you aren’t as obsessed with tamagoyaki as I am, but I hope this helps.
