Tamago Kake Gohan (Carbonara-Style)
This savory Japanese-Italian fusion uses hot dashi rice whisked with raw egg and soy sauce to create a thick, creamy sauce. Sharp pecorino, crispy pancetta, and a jammy soy-cured yolk provide salt and deep umami. While traditionally a Japanese breakfast staple, this rich bowl works perfectly for any meal.
Equipment
- Small container
- rice cooker, optional, but recommended
- Skillet
- Mixing bowl
- chopsticks
Ingredients
Cured Egg Yolk
- 2 to 3 egg yolks, I like to make one extra just in case
- soy sauce, enough to cover yolks
- 1 tbsp mirin
Rice
- 1 cup short grain rice
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 dashi packet, optional
- 1 large pinch kosher salt
Carbonara
- 2 oz diced pancetta
- 1 tbsp Japanese mayo
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 tsp mirin
- 1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tsp rendered pancetta grease, reserved from cooking
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp msg
Toppings
- pecorino romano cheese
- furikake
- scallions, julienned
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Instructions
- Cure the Yolks: Place egg yolks in a small container. Pour in enough soy sauce to completely cover the yolks. Add 1 tablespoon mirin. Cover and refrigerate to cure for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 6 hours.2 to 3 egg yolks, soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin
- Steam the Rice: Wash your rice until the water runs clear and add it to a rice cooker along with the water, dashi packet, and a large pinch of kosher salt. Cook on the white rice setting until the cycle is complete and the grains are tender and fluffy.1 cup short grain rice, 1 1/4 cups water, 1 dashi packet, 1 large pinch kosher salt
- Cook the Pancetta: Place the diced pancetta in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until the very crisp. Remove the pancetta from the skillet and set aside. Measure and reserve 2 teaspoons of the rendered pancetta grease.2 oz diced pancetta, 1 tbsp Japanese mayo
- Mix the Rice: Add your piping hot rice to a bowl. Mix in Japanese mayo, whole eggs, mirin, pecorino romano cheese, reserved pancetta grease, soy sauce, and msg. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is fully emulsified and creamy. Taste and add more salt if needed.2 whole eggs, 1 tsp mirin, 1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese, 2 tsp rendered pancetta grease, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp msg
- Plate and Serve: Divide the rice between 2 shallow serving bowls. Use a spoon to shape the rice into a circle and flatten the top. Carefully place a cured egg yolk in the center and grate pecorino on top. Add a row of the crispy pancetta, furikake and julienned green onions. Finish with freshly cracked black pepper and that is it!pecorino romano cheese, furikake, scallions, black pepper
1 Hour Cure: The yolk stays runny. It breaks easily and acts like a rich, savory liquid sauce that coats the rice.6 Hour Cure: The soy sauce draws out the moisture. It gets a thick, jammy texture and has a saltier bite.Overnight: Mix equal parts soy sauce and water (or mirin) for your marinade. You can then leave your egg yolks for 8 to 12-hours. Do not leave yolks overnight in pure soy sauce. They will get too firm and be very salty.
Curl the Scallions: This is fully optional and it is purely cosmetic. Trim the the tips of the green onions and then cut about 2-inches off. Slice each piece lengthwise into fine, thin strips. Place your julienned scallions into an ice bath for a few minutes until they curl. Allow them to dry on a paper towel and you have beautiful curly scallions for your toppings.
Notes
As a reminder: Consuming raw or undercooked eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions. Please see the egg safety section.
Nutrition
Calories: 778kcal, Carbohydrates: 87g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 36g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 397mg, Sodium: 2157mg, Potassium: 279mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 625IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 243mg, Iron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.