For TKG, making delicious eggs even more delicious

Soy sauce for raw egg rice is an eternal theme

I'm Mori, a former staff member at Matsuya Ginza store.

I first became interested in raw egg on rice after I came across "Maboroshi no Tamagoyasan," a restaurant that sells eggs delivered from chicken farms all over the country in a buffet style. Since then, I've been eating raw egg on rice more and more frequently. And as I've been eating a lot of eggs, I've noticed something. First of all, the soy sauce that pairs well with eggs you can easily buy at the supermarket and so-called brand eggs is completely different. Also, even though we say "delicious eggs," there are many different types of deliciousness.

for example,
・Eggs with a perfect balance of white and yolk ・Eggs with a deep orange yolk and a rich flavor ・Eggs with a bright yellow yolk and a gentle sweetness

Each egg is best suited to a different soy sauce. Many people who love raw egg rice order their favorite eggs from a chicken farm, right? If you've gone to the trouble of buying the best eggs, you should also be particular about the soy sauce you use.
I've tried a variety of different combinations of eggs and soy sauce, and I'd like to introduce some of my recommended combinations. I hope you'll find the perfect drop that brings out the best in your eggs. Your life with raw egg on rice will become even more enjoyable!

"Delicious salt water" that tastes nothing like soy sauce

The sweetness and aroma of Shiro Tamari go perfectly with eggs with orange yolks and a strong flavor! The first thing that hits you is the gentle sweetness and aroma of Shiro Tamari. After that, the natural sweetness of the eggs softly emerges. The best way to eat eggs with a strong umami flavor is with a gentle saltiness, rather than adding soy sauce. This really brings out the sweetness of the eggs themselves. It's like adding a pinch of salt to watermelon - that feeling when the sweetness really stands out.

Shiro Tamari / Nitto Brewery (Aichi Prefecture)

Even among white soy sauces, Shiro Tamari is a little special. In fact, it doesn't contain any soybeans. The only ingredients are wheat, salt, and shochu. Regular white soy sauce contains a small amount of soybeans, giving it a subtle soy sauce flavor, but Shiro Tamari has absolutely no soy sauce-like flavor. According to the brewer, the expression "delicious salt water" is the perfect description. The gentle sweetness and aroma of wheat gently spreads throughout the soy sauce, making it a truly mysterious and delicious salt water. Another unique feature is that while alcohol is usually added to prevent mold from growing, shochu is used instead.

What's the difference between salt and Shiro Tamari? It's the gentle sweetness and soft fragrance that only Shiro Tamari can offer. However, it's not just salty; it also brings out the sweetness and umami of the eggs to the fullest. Once you try it, you'll never forget the taste.

So, what happens if you add Shiro Tamari to your regular eggs when making raw egg rice? Of course, it doesn't necessarily go wrong, but your first impression might be that it's a little salty. This is because Shiro Tamari has almost no umami, which is typical of soy sauce. Therefore, I think that with regular eggs, you'd get a better balance by adding dark soy sauce, which has a strong umami flavor, or dashi soy sauce, which has a sweet and dashi-flavored taste.

Delicious eggs need delicious saltiness

For delicious eggs, adding a bit of salt will bring out the natural sweetness of the eggs. We recommend eggs with a perfect balance of white and yolk, or eggs with a deep orange yolk and a rich flavor. The balance between the eggs and soy sauce is perfect, so both the eggs and soy sauce are delicious! Even if you don't like light soy sauce because it's too salty, this is a combination that we recommend you try.

Lightly brewed soy sauce / Katagami Soy Sauce (Nara Prefecture)

Of these five, this is my top recommendation. It's a unique type of light soy sauce with a strong umami flavor. It's made by Katagami-san, a self-proclaimed "foodie." He has pursued the strongest umami flavor possible while retaining the gentle color and aroma that is unique to light soy sauce. While it looks a little strong, the balance between umami and saltiness is exquisite, and this strong saltiness really brings out the sweetness of the eggs.

The difference between this and Shiro Tamari is that it has a proper soy sauce flavor. However, it is not overly assertive like dark soy sauce, but rather has the unique approach of light soy sauce, which brings out the flavor of the ingredients.

So, what happens if you use regular eggs on rice with raw egg? Just like with Shiro Tamari, it's not that they don't go well together, but your first impression might be that they're too salty. You can really taste the saltiness more than with Shiro Tamari.

Delicious soy sauce on rice with raw egg

We recommend eggs with a deep orange yolk and a rich flavor, or eggs with a bright yellow yolk and a gentle sweetness. Whether the egg has a strong impact or a gentle sweetness, the soy sauce blends in naturally and brings the dish together deliciously. The sweetness of the egg and the umami of the soy sauce combine to create a dish of raw egg rice that will make you smile.

Gensho / Hata Brewery (Toyama Prefecture)

Of the roughly 40 varieties of dark soy sauce available, this one is by far the one I would recommend if you're looking to pair it with delicious eggs on rice. The soy sauce doesn't overpower the egg, but it has a mysterious presence that makes you think, "Soy sauce is delicious!" the moment you put it in your mouth. At 20%, it's on the high side for dark soy sauces. But it's not salty at all when you lick it. In fact, the slight saltiness is pleasant and delicious. And above all, the aroma is simply amazing. It has a powerful umami flavor and depth that comes from being aged for three years in wooden barrels. I think this sense of maturation envelops the saltiness, preventing it from feeling too salty.

So, just a little bit is enough for rice with raw egg on top. It really brings out the sweetness of the egg and makes it taste even more delicious. In fact, even with regular eggs, just a drizzle of Gensho gives it a soft fragrance and makes it really delicious.

Not too strong, this soy sauce goes well with eggs

We recommend eggs with an excellent balance of white and yolk, or eggs with bright yellow yolks and a gentle sweetness. When paired with such eggs, you can really taste the umami of the soy sauce, but it's not at all salty, and it really brings out the sweetness of the eggs. It's rare to find a tamari soy sauce like this that has a strong umami of soybeans yet blends naturally with eggs.

Isekura Whole Soybean Soy Sauce / Isekura (Mie Prefecture)

This tamari soy sauce is a little unique. It has a strong umami flavor, yet its light color and smooth, light taste. It was created by Shikii Kazuhiro, the fifth-generation owner of Isekura in Mie Prefecture. "The number of people making soy sauce and those eating it are declining. I wanted to create a new tamari soy sauce that would rekindle interest among generations who have lost interest in tamari," he said. This soy sauce was born from that desire. In this region, where tamari soy sauce is deeply rooted, this unique flavor strikes the perfect middle ground between tamari and dark soy sauce, and is aimed at the younger generation. Made with whole soybeans and wheat from Mie Prefecture, it is slowly aged in wooden barrels. It has a subtle thickness, yet a robust umami flavor. Its bright appearance and smooth texture retain the powerful soy flavor. That's why it pairs so well with rice topped with raw egg.

When you pour a typical thick, rich tamari soy sauce over rice with raw egg on top, the soy sauce flavor tends to be too strong. While that may be fine for those who like rich flavors, I personally feel that "since these eggs are so delicious, I want to eat them with a soy sauce that really brings out the flavor of the eggs." This soy sauce makes that possible. For those who want a strong soy sauce for raw egg on rice but don't want it to overpower the egg, this is the perfect choice. It's milder in saltiness than Gensho, and the umami of the soybeans is actually even stronger. That's the kind of raw egg on rice you'll get.

Suehiro Soy Sauce x Shokunin Soy Sauce Collaboration Dashi Soy Sauce

We recommend this with eggs with deep orange yolks and a rich flavor. This straight-type dashi soy sauce blends the refreshing taste of light soy sauce with the right amount of kombu and shiitake mushroom dashi. The egg is the star of the show! The gentle umami and subtle dashi flavor gently complement the egg, creating a refined flavor. It's also perfect for rolled omelets, as this one bottle will give you the flavor you need and keep the egg's beautiful color.

Lightly-Sliced ​​Egg on Top / Suehiro Soy Sauce (Hyogo Prefecture)

In fact, Shokunin Shoyu's lineup includes three types of soy sauce with the word "egg" in its name, as well as nine types of dashi soy sauce. They come in a variety of types, from concentrated to straight, and the base soy sauce ranges from white to tamari soy sauce. With so many varieties, it can be hard to know which one to choose. Among them, we recommend this one for delicious egg rice. It's because it was jointly developed by Shokunin Shoyu and Suehiro Shoyu, a long-established company in Hyogo Prefecture famous for its light soy sauce. It was originally conceived with the idea of ​​"making a soy sauce that would make delicious eggs even more delicious."

The big difference from other dashi soy sauces is
- It is based on light soy sauce. - It does not use bonito stock, but only kelp and shiitake mushroom stock. These two are its biggest features.

The soy sauce flavor is not too strong, and has a soft, gentle aroma. The refreshing taste of light soy sauce is combined with the gentle, rich umami of kelp and shiitake mushrooms, naturally enhancing the deliciousness of the eggs. It's truly the ultimate combination.

I don't think there are many other soy sauces made with shiitake mushroom stock for egg on rice. To be honest, shiitake flavor is a matter of personal preference. Of course, it may not be suitable for people who say, "I just can't stand shiitake! I can't eat it even if it has even a little bit of it." However, Usukuchi Tamagokake has a very soft finish without being too strong in the shiitake flavor. This exquisite balance was achieved after many trial and error attempts. It's a flavor that you should definitely try.