Ingredient: eggs

Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki
Print Recipe
This easy-to-make savory pancake is a crowd favorite. Aside from a few key ingredients, the choice of what to throw in is very much up to you! This recipe is not vegan but is meat-free. The layering of umami-rich ingredients throughout this recipe pretty much means you're not going to miss the meat. You can always dial it up with your favorite proteins including pork belly if you like.
Servings Prep Time
4 pancakes 1 hour
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 pancakes 1 hour
Cook Time
30 minutes
Okonomiyaki
Print Recipe
This easy-to-make savory pancake is a crowd favorite. Aside from a few key ingredients, the choice of what to throw in is very much up to you! This recipe is not vegan but is meat-free. The layering of umami-rich ingredients throughout this recipe pretty much means you're not going to miss the meat. You can always dial it up with your favorite proteins including pork belly if you like.
Servings Prep Time
4 pancakes 1 hour
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 pancakes 1 hour
Cook Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
Batter
Filling
Toppings
Dashi
Servings: pancakes
Instructions
Dashi
  1. In a medium pot, bring konbu to a slow boil (about 10-15 minutes). Remove konbu, add katsuobushi and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let katsuobushi steep for about 10-15 minutes. The katsuobushi will also sink to the bottom in the process. Strain the stock and it’s ready for use. Any unused stock may be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a month.
Batter + Filling
  1. Whisk dry ingredients together until blended. Add eggs and dashi and stir until just mixed.
  2. Add in cabbage, beni shoga, mushrooms and tenkasu.
Cooking + Serving
  1. Heat pan up and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Put in a rounded cup of batter mix and using the edge of a spatula, gently spread the mound out to form a pancake. Avoid using the back of the spatula to press down. You want the cake to be somewhat loose and not too dense. Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Flip the pancake, cover the pan and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the lid, turn the heat up to medium to medium high and cook uncovered for 2 minutes on each side to crisp up each side. The pancake should be golden brown when done.
  2. To serve, generously drizzle okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise. Top with sliced green onion, katsuobushi and aonori (green seaweed flakes) if desired.

Tea Eggs (茶叶蛋）Recipe

In this recipe, cracked hard boiled eggs steep in a spiced, smoky, tea-based liquid. The marbled veins that wrap around the egg give it a distinct marbled look. This recipe is courtesy of Ling Peng.

Tea eggs marbled with tea-infused flavor

The preparation method is simple but does require a long steeping period. For ease, the dry spices can be substituted with store-bought 5-spice powder.

Ingredients to make tea eggs

For the story to go with these tea eggs, click here: Tea Eggs and School Days

Tea Eggs (茶叶蛋)
Print Recipe
In this recipe, cracked hard boiled eggs steep in a spiced, smoky, tea-based liquid. The marbled veins that wrap around the egg give it a distinct marbled look.
Servings Prep Time
6 eggs 6 hours
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour 5 hours
Servings Prep Time
6 eggs 6 hours
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour 5 hours
Tea Eggs (茶叶蛋)
Print Recipe
In this recipe, cracked hard boiled eggs steep in a spiced, smoky, tea-based liquid. The marbled veins that wrap around the egg give it a distinct marbled look.
Servings Prep Time
6 eggs 6 hours
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour 5 hours
Servings Prep Time
6 eggs 6 hours
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour 5 hours
Ingredients
  • 6 each eggs hard boiled
Steeping Liquid
Servings: eggs
Instructions
Hard Boiled Eggs
  1. Put eggs in a pot and add water, enough to cover the eggs by about 2 inches. When water comes to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes. When cooked, drain the hot water and add cold water to quickly cool the eggs. Use the back of a spoon to gently crack the shell of the eggs. The more cracks you make, the more intricate the "marbling" in the final product. (Do not peel the shell.)
Steeping Liquid
  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil; then simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Immediately add the hard boiled cracked eggs to the liquid. Make sure the steeping liquid covers the eggs.
  2. Allow eggs to steep in tea liquid for at least 5 hours, and ideally overnight (in the refrigerator). Then lift the eggs from the steeping liquid and peel. The eggs can be eaten cold or warm.

Easy-to-make Spanish Omelette (Tortilla Española)

There are really only three main ingredients in Spanish omelette: onions, potatoes and eggs. It doesn’t get any easier!

Also called tortilla española, this is one of my daughter’s favorite breakfast and snack items. She loves the taste and “pie” shape of this omelette. I don’t mind making it because it’s not only easy, it’s a great anytime food to have in the kitchen.

The secret (and it’s not much of one) is to take your time when frying up the onions and potatoes. Use medium-low to medium heat to slowly develop the flavors without over-browning them.

Unlike its Italian cousin, the fritatta, the Spanish omelette does not finish in the oven. It stays on the stove top, which means, in order to cook the topside, the omelette will need to be flipped over.

The idea of flipping anything in the pan will probably send some folks into a panic mode but it’s super simple! Follow these four steps: 1) slide omelette out onto a plate 2) put a plate face down on top of the omelette 3) lift plates up, hold on to both plates and turn them upside down 4) slide omelette back onto the pan. What was the omelette top should now be cooking in the bottom of the pan.

Ready to crack some eggs and make a tasty omelette “pie?” You can do it.

Easy-to-make Spanish Omelette or Tortilla Espanola
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
4-6 servings 45 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4-6 servings 45 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Easy-to-make Spanish Omelette or Tortilla Espanola
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
4-6 servings 45 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4-6 servings 45 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: servings
Instructions
  1. Crack eggs, add half of the salt and beat eggs only until well-mixed.
  2. Peel and small dice the onion and potatoes, into ¼” cubes. Keep the two ingredients separate.
  3. Heat oil in a 10" non-stick pan and slowly fry the onion. Fry until fragrant and translucent. Avoid browning the onion
  4. Add potato, the other half of the salt, and pepper. Stir and continue cooking on medium heat until potato is just cooked.
  5. Gently level off the top of the potato mixture and pour eggs into the pan. Shake the pan gently to allow the egg mixture to fill the pan.
  6. Turn the heat down to low and put a lid over the pan to cook the eggs more evenly. When the eggs start to peel away from the sides, slide the whole egg-potato mixture out onto a big round plate.
  7. “Flip” the omelette by putting another plate on top. While holding on to both plates, turn the plates upside down.
  8. Slide the omelette back into the pan and cook for just a few more minutes on medium heat, uncovered.
  9. Slide tortilla out onto a round plate, cut into wedges and serve. The omelette is great hot-off-the-pan, but it's also just as good after it's cooled down to room temperature.