Tamagoyaki: the Japanese Rolled Omelette from Anime Bento

Tamagoyaki: the Japanese Rolled Omelette from Anime Bento

Tamagoyaki — a layered rolled omelette — appears in the bento box of almost every school anime. Sweet, slightly savoury, with a beautiful cut face, it has become a symbol of a lovingly packed lunch.

History and origin

Tamagoyaki has been cooked in Japan since the Edo period. It is served at sushi restaurants (where chefs fine-tune sweetness and texture), in bento boxes and at breakfast. Regional variants differ in the ratio of sugar to soy sauce: the Tokyo style is saltier, the Osaka style sweeter.

Key ingredients

For tamagoyaki, beat eggs with sugar, soy sauce, mirin and dashi. Cook in thin layers on a rectangular pan, rolling each layer around the previous one as you go.

How to cook at home

The key is medium heat and patience: each layer must set but remain tender. A bamboo sushi mat helps shape it — wrap the hot roll and leave for 5 minutes.

Try this recipe at home — it's much easier than it looks and will make you feel part of your favourite universe.