photo by pakutaso.com
Easy! Delicious! Nutritious! Completing three of the most important components of daily meals, “Tamago Kake Gohan (abbr TKG)” , a raw egg on hot steamed rice, is a soul food of Japanese people. Its venturous presentation, a simply topped raw egg on rice often surprise foreigners, but you will get addicted to it once you try…? Let’s explore what is so attractive about TKG, which is eaten only in Japan.
Voices of TKG First Timers
TKG is such a common food for Japanese people, however, it seems to be creating a bad name among overseas people. Reactions about its appearance are quite disappointing: “Gross…!” “It’s absolutely incredible the Japanese seriously eat this” “Doesn’t it make you sick?” etc. But some courageous people actually ate TKG and gave positive comments that would make Japanese people smile: “Tastes great!” “This is addictive!” “Super delicious!”
Why Only in Japan?: Fresh and Clean Egg
Many Japanese people seems to believe TKG is a common food in many other countries even though they do not have soy sauce in their daily diet. However, TKG is eaten only in Japan. There is a fair reason for such a handy, delicious dish (?) not being accepted in any other part of the world. This is not widely known, but Japan is the only country you can eat store-bought eggs in raw or undercooked statement. That is, all eggs in Japanese market are all washed and pasteurized. Therefore you do not have to warry about salmonella poisoning by eating a raw egg. Japanese eggs are under strict hygiene control so that everyone can enjoy TKG. In addition, “best before” date is printed on each egg to protect consumers from having expired eggs.
Why Only in Japan?: Ample Choice of Eggs
The great variety of Japanese eggs accelerates the palatability of TKG. Examples of eggs: Cheap ordinary packed eggs, eggs of cage free hens “Ji-tamago”, and eggs of seaweed fed chickens “Iodine eggs”. In addition, even eggs just for TKG have been recently introduced. These are ultimate eggs that were carefully chosen for not only its taste, but what chickens are fed and their size are also rigorously selected.
Why Only in Japan?: Amazingly Tasty Rice
What accentuate the daintiness of TKG is the amazing taste of Japanese rice. You might think “We have good rice in our country, too”. Well, just try Japanese rice. It is starchier than any other type of rice that tends to be dry. Therefore, Japanese rice hot and fresh out of a cooker is a little sticky and taste with a hint of sweetness. The technique Japanese people cook rice, which is a combination of boiling and steaming, might make Japanese rice even tastier.
Why Only in Japan?: Extensive Variety of Soy Sauce
If you have never lived in Japan, maybe Kikkoman is only soy sauce brand name you have ever heard. In fact, people call soy sauce “Kikkoman” in quite a few countries. However, there are 1400 of soy sauce manufacturers in Japan and they are producing a number of types of soy sauce everyday. For example, “Hon-Jozo soy sauce” is made by fermenting soya beans and maturing it over a long time without any adulterants. “Dashi soy sauce” is made by adding broth to “Hon-Jozo soy sauce”. “Sashimi soy sauce” is specially made for Sashimi.
There is special soy sauce just for TKG. A little sweetness of this soy sauce perfectly matches a raw egg on TKG.
Do Try It
Whether or not you have tried TKG before, you must be being very curious about TKG now. It is normally drizzled with soy sauce but you do not have to stick to this way. Adding salt or butter is also great with TKG. Furthermore, topping something from your pantry on TKG may boost the taste of it too! Try this delicious dish when you visit Japan.
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