Mayak Eggs: Soy-Marinated Soft Eggs
This is a staple for a reason. Once you have a batch in the fridge, you have the base for a quick meal at any hour.
Temperature control is your primary constraint.
Your eggs must be at room temperature before they hit the water, or the shells will crack upon contact. Use a wide container for marinating so the eggs stay submerged in a single layer.
- medium pot
- slotted spoon
- ice bath bowl
- airtight glass container
What goes in.
- 6large eggs
- 1/2 cupsoy sauce
- 1/2 cupwater
- 3 tbsphoney or maple syrup
- 2scallions, thinly sliced
- 1red chili, sliced into rounds
- 1 tsptoasted sesame seeds
- 1 clovegarlic, minced
Mastering the 6-minute mark
Six minutes is the precise window where the white is firm enough to peel, but the yolk is still liquid enough to cure into a custard consistency. Do not deviate from this timing.
The method.
Boil the water
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Carefully lower the room-temperature eggs into the water one by one.
Time the cook
Start your timer immediately. Boil for exactly 6 minutes, adjusting the heat to maintain a steady, gentle simmer rather than a violent boil.
Shock the eggs
Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and drop them directly into an ice bath for 10 minutes to stop the cooking process.
Peel carefully
Gently crack the shells all over and peel under a thin stream of cool running water to ensure the surface stays smooth.
Mix the marinade
In your container, combine soy sauce, water, honey, scallions, chili, garlic, and sesame seeds. Stir until the sweetener is dissolved.
Cure
Submerge the peeled eggs in the liquid. Seal and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, though 12 hours is better for deeper color and texture.
Other turns to take.
Spicy Version
Add one tablespoon of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) to the marinade for a deeper heat profile.
Ginger-Forward
Steep thin coins of fresh ginger in the marinade for two hours before adding the eggs.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use older eggs; farm-fresh eggs are notoriously difficult to peel after boiling.
If the eggs float to the top of the marinade, place a small piece of parchment paper directly on top of them to keep them pressed down.
Eat these within three days, as the salt will eventually firm up the yolk past the point of being jammy.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I reuse the marinade?
You can boil it once to sterilize it, strain the solids, and use it as a base for a stir-fry sauce or a noodle dressing.
Why did my egg whites turn rubbery?
The marinade has a high salt content. If left longer than 24 hours, the osmotic pressure causes the whites to toughen.
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