Ramen Egg Recipe: Ajitama Timing and Marinade

Ajitama is a soft-boiled egg steeped in soy-mirin marinade until the white tastes savoury and the yolk stays jammy. This recipe is adapted for a Hong Kong flat, locally available ingredients and a normal hob.

Cooking hub: How to Make Ramen at Home in a Hong Kong Kitchen. Component guide: Anatomy of a Ramen Bowl.

Makes 6 eggs. Active time 15 minutes; marinate 4–24 hours. Thirty seconds, an ice bath and fridge-cold eggs decide the result.

🛒 1. Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 120 ml soy sauce
• 120 ml mirin
• 120 ml water
• Kombu and sugar (optional)

🔥 2. Method

1. Bring water to a steady boil and prepare ice water.
2. Lower cold eggs gently; cook 6½ minutes for jammy yolks or 7 minutes for firmer centres.
3. Move to ice water for 10 minutes and peel.
4. Combine marinade; refrigerate eggs in it for 4–24 hours.
5. Halve just before serving.

🧂 3. Adjustments and substitutions

Use chashu braising liquid as the marinade; see chashu recipe.

Soft yolks are undercooked egg. Hong Kong CFS warns of Salmonella risk. Pregnant women, young children, older people and immunocompromised people should choose firm yolks or pasteurised eggs.

❓ FAQ

Can I reuse the marinade? Not for eggs; boil it for a sauce or discard.

Why do eggs crack? Lower them gently and avoid overcrowding.