Umami Hard Cooked Eggs
These eggs are soaked in a marinade of soy, vinegar, and sugar for a few hours to make them a salty snack, ramen topper, or salad accompanier. I have tried many marinades and have settled on this one. The eggs are salty without being too salty! The balance of sweet, salt, and acid is perfect enough that you will want to have a stash in your fridge at all times.
My introduction to this idea come from “Asian Pickles” by Karen Solomon and another from Food 52’s test kitchen. I have combed the internet for recipes and created my version. I think you’ll love it!
The key to this recipe is not to overcook the eggs. This means boiling the water before adding the eggs and cooking them for exactly 6 minutes and 30 seconds.
Grab a dozen eggs and the following ingredients to make these tasty and addictive eggs today.
6-12 eggs
6 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Optional additions:
1 teaspoon Schezwan pepper corn
1 teaspoon finely diced ginger root
Start by cooking your eggs. Boil enough water to completely cover 6-12 eggs. Once the water comes to a boil, remove the pot from the heat and gently add your eggs with a spoon. Return the pot to the heat (and the boil), gently stir the eggs to create a whirlpool for one minute (to center the yolks), and boil them for exactly 6 minutes and 30 second.
Once the eggs complete cooking, immediately drain the water and submerge the eggs in an ice bath until they are cool enough to handle. Carefully peel each egg by cracking it on the wide (bottom) of the shell. Set the peeled eggs aside.
Prepare the marinade by mixing together the warm water and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. I typically add Schezwan pepper corn and ginger, but you can decide what flavors you want to impart to your eggs. You can also throw in a bit of toasted sesame oil (1/2 teaspoon) for a nutty taste, coriander seed for warm flavor, and/or a few tablespoons of sake for a more rounded flavor.
Add the eggs to the marinade, place the bowl in the fridge, and allow the eggs to soak for a few hours. The longer you let them marinade, the saltier they will become. I typically marinade them for 3 hours.
If you make these eggs all the time, save the marinade and use it for a few (3-4) batches. Enjoy alone, with Kimchi, pickled mustard greens, and a drizzle of homemade chili crisp oil!