Meet one of my favorite breakfasts: tamagoyaki gohan. A traditional, Japanese rice breakfast and egg bowl that’s quick, easy, and comforting. Seasoned with a bit of shoyu & mirin + topped with furikake, it’s completely addictive. The final bowl is creamy, luscious, umami perfection. I know the raw egg might seem weird, but it cooks, and it’s SO good.
Please trust me and try this ASAP. I’ve had it every morning for the past…I don’t even know how many days.
We’re currently in Kyoto pretending we’re local for a short two weeks in a little machiya, and I’m feeling so peaceful. Maybe it’s the Buddhist and Shinto energy—there are over 1600 temples and 400 shrines in the city. We wake up early every morning, the whole family up by 6 AM. We take our showers & baths, straighten up, brew a pot of sen-cha, make this breakfast, and then walk to get a morning coffee—a cappuccino for me, filter coffee for dad, and a “babycino” (steamed milk) for Eula. After that we grab groceries on the way home if we need them, and then by 9 we’re settled in for work. I found a derelict machiya (traditional house) for sale for a pittance, and, as I am wont to do, am fantasizing about restoring it and living here part time. My dreams of nesting all over the world are my favorite past time. We call it “hypothetical real estate”.
Lately we’ve been eating this tamagoyaki gohan, which is as ridiculously simple as it sounds, every morning.
Tamago Kake Gohan Toppings
You can top it with all kinds of things like scallion, greens, or even raw or cooked salmon or other fish.
I top it with furikake (find it a Japanese grocery, make your own, or order it online!)
What to Serve With Tamago Gohan
Serve it alongside a simple yuzu miso soup filled with whatever we have on hand (currently cabbage, mushroom, green bean, and fresh tofu with a scattering of scallion and herbs/sprouts) with tsukemono (Japanese pickles) on the side. And natto, fermented soybeans, for Matt & Eula.
Try it: you’ll either love it or hate it.
They love it. I…don’t. But wish I did! It’s incredibly good for you.
And TWO quick announcements! If you follow on Instagram, then you probably already know about both of them, but in case you missed it a) I recently released my very first collection of Lightroom presets! What that means is you can have access to my editing in one click! These are the presets I use daily + created from years of what you miiiiight call obsessive photo editing. I hope these can save you some much needed time & take your photos to the next level! Tweak them away to make them your own or just use them as is—they work on everything from food to travel to lifestyle shots. To make them work on ANY photo (they’ll look different on different photos because all light is different), just tweak the white balance until it’s right for your photo and your style!
Tamagoyaki Gohan
Ingredients
for tamago gohan
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups cooked hot Japanese rice per person
- 1 egg per person
- 1 teaspoon mirin per person
- 1 teaspoon shoyu soy sauce per person
topping ideas
- sliced scallion spring onion / tokyo negi
- furikake a must!
- cooked or sushi grade raw salmon tuna, or hamachi
- ume plums
- japanese pickles
- avocado
Instructions
- Cook the rice in a rice cooker or according the the package instructions in a pot or donabe.
- In a separate cup combine the raw egg, shoyu, and mirin. Mix well with chopsticks or a fork. Add to the rice and mix well to completely combine with the rice. Alternately, you can make a well in the rice and add it directly to the bowl, mix it well, and then mix it into the rice.
- Let sit 5-10 minutes until thickened and you can eat it with chopsticks. Top with desired toppings and dig in! If you want to heat it back up, pop it in the microwave for about 30 seconds and then throw on your toppings!
- Best served with a simple miso soup on the side for a truly authentic Japanese breakfast experience!
My name is Beth, Elizabeth Evelyn to be exact. A native Tennessean, I was born in the South.
I am the author behind Local Milk Blog.