Ajitsuke Tamago

As far as delicious ramen toppings go, ajitsuke has to be at least top three! The scrumptious umami goodness works as both a wholesome topping and a standalone snack. It’s a constant pick among our toppings of the week whenever we make tasty immi ramen!

The best thing about ajitsuke is that not only does it taste good but it’s surprisingly easy to make and has an interesting backstory. In fact, we thought it best to go ahead and expand on everything ajitsuke so you can know (and prepare) it better.

What is ajitsuke tamago?

History of the topping 

The jammy, silky topping that we love on ramen has several possible origins. 

There’s one claim that ajitsuke tamago as a topping caught on when a restaurant owner named Kenji Chiba started putting them on top of street-style ramen. According to the local Tokyo legend, Chiba-san brought over his skills as a washoku chef to the ramen game.

The soft-boiled marinated egg concept itself started in China, like so many other Japanese cuisine items. 

The central difference between the classic Chinese marinated egg and Japanese ajitsuke tamago is in the sauces used to marinate them. Both versions use soy sauce but Japanese soy sauce is sweeter and has a fuller flavor, unlike the mainly salty Chinese soy sauce. 

Interestingly, both versions started out as a snack first before being used as a topping. 

Why ajitsuke pairs well with ramen

Ajitsuke tamago has a unique flavor and texture combo that makes it a natural pairing with ramen. Soft-boiled eggs have a naturally softer, almost creamier texture than hard-boiled ones. Combine that with the already runny yolk and you have a soft texture that lets it almost melt apart while chewing. 

The flavor and texture combo may be the primary reason ajitama goes great with ramen, but both features have their individual merit too.

Hard-boiled eggs, on the other hand, would just break apart. Just to be clear, we love them too and would gladly slice some up as the sole topping on a steamy bowl of immi ramen! 

Depending on the marinating liquid you use, the egg could have a delicate mix of sweet, tart, and salty on the outside. Then there’s the strong umami kick that coats the mouth as you chew into it. Marinating the egg for 48 hours at least will develop plenty of flavor. 

The texture itself is fairly egg-like, but something interesting happens when you marinate the egg. The sodium in the soy sauce draws out some of the moisture from the very outside of the egg. This intensifies the flavor and adds a slight firmness, almost a light snap to the outside. 

Which ramen broth pairs best with ajitsuke, and what toppings pair well with it

Because ajitsuke tamago is marinated in a soy sauce liquid, it would seem like the flavorful egg goes best with shoyu ramen. There’s more to that, though.

Remember how we talked about ajitsuke being naturally creamy? That consistency is actually what makes it a great pairing with every major ramen flavor. 

Ajitsuke tamago makes a great topping for shoyu because of the similar flavor profile. However, it also adds a new texture layer to the bold, tangy shoyu broth. 

Ajitsuke pairs well with tonkotsu ramen due to the already milky consistency of tonkotsu broth. It goes with miso ramen because of how the earthy flavor of miso paste complements the delicious runny yolk. 

Shio ramen is an interesting one because it’s similar in overall flavor intensity to a standard 24-hour marinated egg. What ajitsuke does with shio ramen is bring some texture into the mix. For shio though, you will need eggs that have been marinated for 48 hours or longer. 

In terms of which other toppings go well with ajitsuke, we have found 5 main ones:

1. Narutomaki: These cute little fish cakes have a chewy texture that offers a great contrast to ajitsuke which breaks apart easily. If you’re a fan of varying textures in ramen, narutomaki is your best bet for an interesting and delicious bowl. 
2. Chashu: This delicious braised pork has just the right level of flavor to not overpower ajitsuke. It’s mild, breaks easily in the bite, and because it’s braised in a similar solution to ajitsuke marinade, it doesn’t offset the flavor too much. 
3. Niku soboro: This is ground meat that’s flavored with soy sauce and sugar then fried until it turns crispy. It adds a delicious crunch to offset the creaminess of the ajitsuke while upgrading the umami factor of the overall dish as well. 
4. Nori: This super flavorful dried seaweed absorbs ramen broth to become more pliable, almost like the very outer layer of the ajitsuke. In case you prefer to marinate your egg in only soy sauce, this will provide an additional flavor kick to the salty outer egg white. 
5. Benishoga: The bold flavors of this delicious pickled ginger are a combination of tangy and sweet. When combined with ajitsuke, especially in tonkotsu ramen, you get a milky broth, an umami egg, and tart strips of ginger. That’s half a dozen distinct flavors in one bowl!

If we’re talking about which flavor of immi ramen ajitsuke goes with, we have to agree that Spicy ‘Beef’ flavored immi ramen is the champion here!

That’s not to say Black Garlic ‘Chicken’ flavored immi ramen and Tom Yum ‘Shrimp’ flavored immi ramen are any less delicious with ajitsuke. In fact, each flavor makes for a uniquely tasty combo with it. 

How to warm up ajitsuke tamago

There are several ways to warm up ajitsuke tamago that don’t mess with the flavor. For example, you can put it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or put it in the ramen broth before slicing each egg in half. 

However, both of those methods may cook the egg  slightly and you may not get that perfectly runny yolk.

The best way to warm up ajitsuke tamago is to slice the eggs in half and let them sit in the hot ramen broth for at least a minute. You can do this by adding the ajitsuke as the first topping so that it has time to warm up in the broth while you add the other toppings. 

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