Perfectly Soft-Boiled Ramen Eggs

By dedmund

Ingredients

• The marinade:
• 10 eggs, room temperature not cold, each weighing about 60 gm, preferably free-range and 7 days old
• 3 litres water
• 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 75 ml usukuchi light soy sauce
• 75 ml water
• 75 ml mirin
• 3 Tbsp caster sugar

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from brandoesq.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

1.Prepare a large ice water bath. Have your chronograph or accurate digital timer at the ready.
2.Find a pan in which the 10 eggs can sit snugly in a single layer (you don't want something so large they can rattle about and crack and generally misbehave in). Fill pan with 3 litres of water. Bring to a rolling boil.
3.Add the sea salt and rice vinegar. When water returns to the boil, gently lower the eggs one at a time with a slotted spoon into the water. Immediately turn down the heat so the water barely simmers - there should only be pin dot sized bubbles rising up around the eggs, and the surface should shudder only occasionally and almost imperceptibly. From the moment all the eggs have been added, cook for 7 minutes for the aforedescribed doneness (PS: If your preference is for completely runny yolks, start testing at the 5 minutes 45 seconds mark).
4.Transfer the eggs using a slotted spoon into the ice water bath. Let cool completely.
5.When the eggs have cooled, tap them gently with the back of a teaspoon to crack the shells. Carefully peel them under cold running water; the whites are very fragile so do take extreme care.
6.Transfer eggs to a bowl in which they fit snugly in a single layer.
7.Whisk together the ingredients for the marinade until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the eggs. Place a triple-thickness of sarashi, muslin or cheesecloth (all of which lacking, paper coffee filters will do in a pinch) on top and gently press down until completely saturated with marinade - this helps keep the eggs submerged and ensures even tinting and flavouring.
8.Marinate the eggs at room temperature for an hour, and up to two. Strain and gently blot dry. Serve now or store the eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.


Note: To serve the eggs after storage, bring them to room temperature. Or if you need them hot, bring to room temperature and just before serving, immerse them in a bowl with hot water (by which I mean just-off-the-boil from the electric kettle) for 45 seconds. Even better, 30 seconds in gently simmering deeply flavourful broth, ramen stock or otherwise.