I’ve never been a big breakfast person. My weak stomach just can’t handle it. Having rice for breakfast? That was a big no no. It’s strange because having rice for breakfast is pretty ubiquitous across most Asian countries like Japan, Korea, Thailand, India. Even though I grew up in pretty traditional Chinese family, we never really ate rice for breakfast. I was pretty much raised on an all American Breakfast Diet: cereal with milk; peanut butter or avocado on toast; banana pancakes.

Eating rice for breakfast was not common at home, instead we always had oatmeal. I absolutely love eating oatmeal. It reminds of the rice porridge (or “congee”) that I used to eat on Sunday afternoon after a long day at church. The porridge is cooked in homemade chicken stock and pork, then it is served with the shredded chicken scallions and white pepper. It is so flavorful and comforting. Since the water content is so high it digests extremely well. Now being so far from home, oatmeal has become the replacement for congee for me. It is so easy to make, ingredients are cheap and it satisfies my stomach just like the way congee does.  I love adding some form of protein (collagen or egg whites) so that it keeps me fuller for longer.

This particular recipe is our twist on the traditional Japanese Tamago Kake Gohan. It literally means “egg over rice”. Instead of short grain rice, we used our favorite creamy oatmeal as the base. BUT the centerpiece of this recipe is the delicious soy cured eggs. An amazing reaction happens overnight – the soy sauce causes the yolk to firm up so it holds its space whilst still retaining its creamy center. If you leave it for a few more days the egg yolk will yield the texture of a hard boiled egg. YES, the egg yolk is eaten raw. but it is so damn good: salty, creamy and rich, complemented by the umami flavors of the bonito flakes and nori. My favorite part is mixing the raw salty egg yolk with the creamy oatmeal – let me just say it is heavenly.

If you are worried about salmonella, I would highly recommend to try and find organic cage free pasteurized eggs. The quality of the eggs does make a difference. You can also mix it into warm oatmeal, the heat will cook the egg slightly so its not completely raw. 

This has seriously been such a dream to create. The final result blew us both away. The ingredients are worth sourcing at your local Asian grocery store. But seriously, the classiest, tastiest savory oatmeal you will ever have! No more peanut butter or granola on oats, this savory oatmeal will become your new favorite.

Tamago Kake Gohan (with Oatmeal)

 

Save Print

Author: Unconventional Cooks

Serves: 2 small bowls

Ingredients

• Oatmeal:
• 1/2 cup quick oats (gluten-free, if needed)
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup water/ GF stock
• Soy cured Egg:
• 2 eggs yolk
• 3 tbsp Kikkoman soy sauce (GF if needed)
• Toppings: Bonito Flakes, Nori Seaweed, Chili Flakes, Scallion, Sesame Seeds (MUST)

Instructions

1. Day Before: Separate egg whites and egg yolks. Keep the egg whites for the oatmeal the next day.
2. (This is crucial) FIRST pour the soy sauce into a small container, then add the egg yolks in one by one. If you do it the other way round, then the egg yolk may not hold its shape.
3. On the Day: Put oats and water into a small pot. Cook over medium high heat, adding water if the mixture is getting too thick/sticking to the water. Cook for 5 minutes until creamy.
4. Add in the leftover egg whites. Stir quickly to break it up. Cook for 1 minute until egg whites are set.
5. To serve: Divide up the oatmeal. Scoop out the egg yolk into the center.
6. MUST Garnish with bonito flakes, nori seaweed, scallions, sesame seeds and leftover soy sauce to taste. Enjoy immediately!

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 2 (without toppings) Calories: 169.2 Fat: 6.6 Carbohydrates: 15.8 Protein: 12

3.5.3251

LOVE,

Zoe & Mia