Delicious Japan: Eggs!

Unlike here in the good ol' U S of A, you can consume raw eggs just about anywhere you damn well please in Japan. There are no worries about food poisoning, and even at fast food joints you can count on being able to purchase a raw egg to top your meal for less than a dollar!

Online menu from major fast food chain Sukiya
Image from sukiya.jp

As a college student studying abroad in Tokyo, eggs were my main source of protein. I could pick up a dozen for ￥98 at a nearby drugstore and have a week's worth of lunches. If I wanted to splurge, I could pick up some higher quality eggs and make tamago kake gohan (卵かけごはん). Literally... rice with egg on top. It's healthy, cheap and quick -- what more could you ask for?

An elaborate bowl of TKG

This delicious breakfast can be as simple as an egg cracked into hot rice, or be complex like the one pictured above which features sesame seeds and eel. My personal favorite way to eat TKG is to whisk the egg with soy sauce in a separate bowl before pouring over the rice. Add shredded nori and some chopped green onion that's it! For those who are wary about eating raw egg, the best way to try this dish is to use a low egg-to-rice ratio to start.

Since I have another 7 weeks until I can enjoy the delights of raw egg for every meal (kidding), I'd like to share a recipe for something equally as satisfying, simple, and delicious!


Vegetarian Eggs Benedict (serves 1)

1 english muffin, toasted*
1/4 of a ripe avocado
5 grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup baby spinach
1 egg
garlic salt
pepper
chili powder
dried chives

1. Toast your english muffin. (I used 2 mini-homemade whole wheat english muffins.)
2. Layer sliced avocado on top of the english muffin.
3. Saute tomatoes and spinach with garlic salt, pepper, chili powder and dried chives until the tomatoes are soft. Adjust seasonings to your own preferences.
4. Layer the cooked veggies on top of the avocado.
5. Wipe excess moisture from your pan and lightly fry one egg. Make sure the yolk is still runny!
6. Layer cooked egg on top of the veggies and voilà! 

The finished product!

While this is not a traditional eggs bene recipe by any means, it's perfect for summer and definitely a recipe you can make anywhere - whether in the US or Japan! :)

02. Arrival

Since getting off the plane at Haneda Airport over a week ago, I've barely had time to breathe let alone sit down to write a blog post! It's been an exhausting but rewarding week, and I'm finally hoping for some downtime this weekend (but not until after my class on Saturday morning)!

I'm finding that life in Japan is much more of a juggling act than being back at my home university and I'm slowly learning to adjust to all of these minor things. One of the most difficult things is the fact that International Christian University, like many other Japanese universities, does not have a meal plan. Although there's a dining hall on campus, it's only open during limited times and the average price per meal is around $5, but it depends on what you want to eat. The food is delicious and the portions are generous, however, my wallet and waistline will probably not be as appreciative by the end of autumn term.

Tonight for dinner I made チャーハン or chahan, which is just a general name for Chinese-style fried rice. The ingredients for it cost maaaaaybe $5, not including the kitchen staples like soy sauce or oil. It's cheap, filling, and isn't totally loaded with sodium and fat. My favorite part about this dish is that you can adjust the amounts of each ingredient to your liking, although I recommend using 1 egg per serving. 

Here's how I made mine:

Chahan, or Fried Rice

Cooked rice

Frozen veggies (or use fresh ones and steam them beforehand)

Eggs

Milk

Garlic

Canola oil

Soy sauce (or other preferred condiments)

1. Prepare your rice, preferably a glutinous sushi-rice variety. I find that one handful of uncooked rice is about enough for one serving.
2. Begin by slicing the garlic and frying it in a healthy splash of canola oil. The amount of oil necessary will depend on how many servings you want to make. Once the garlic is cooked, pour the garlic and oil into a separate bowl for later.  
3. Prepare your scrambled eggs and use about a tablespoon of milk per egg. This makes them nice and fluffy. 
4. Use the oiled pan to cook the egg mixture.
5. Once the eggs are mostly cooked through (slightly moist looking but not runny) add the cooked rice, veggies, garlic/oil mixture and splash of soy sauce. Add salt, pepper, or whatever seasonings you prefer at this point.
6. Allow the eggs to cook through the rest of the way and then serve hot!

I'll have to write a longer post about International Christian University and my first week in Japan, but I wanted to at least do a short update before I'm buried under mountains of schoolwork! 

じゃ、また。