This popular side dish in Korean and Japanese cooking — layers of eggs filled with a confetti of vegetables, cooked into a smooth rolled omelet and then cut sushi-style — is also great as a topping for rice bowls, salads or noodle soups. Called gyeran mari in Korean and tamagoyaki in Japanese, it can take a little practice, but even if it doesn’t come together on your first try, it’s just as delicious. A specialized rectangular pan, found at many Asian markets and online, can help you make them as even and squared-off as possible, but a small nonstick skillet works, too. The pinch of sugar, which helps create the traditional flavor, is optional.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Ingredients
Directions
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Step 1
In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a fork (rather than a whisk, which would incorporate too much air). Add the scallions, bell pepper, carrot, sugar, if using, and salt, and stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
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Step 2
In a rectangular Korean or Japanese omelet pan (called a tamagoyaki pan) or an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, heat the oil. Spoon just enough of the egg mixture to thinly cover the entire surface of the pan. (Lift and tilt the pan as needed to get the mixture to spread.)
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Step 3
Cook, undisturbed, until the eggs have just set on the bottom but are still runny on top, 1 to 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed. (If the eggs aren’t set on the bottom, they won’t roll, and if they aren’t runny on top, they won’t stick to the other layer of the omelet and create a solid mass like you want.) Use chopsticks or a wide spatula to start rolling the eggs into a log from one side of the pan to the other; if using a rectangular pan, go from one short side to the other short side. (You might find that your fingers work just as well as any implement.)
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Step 4
Once the eggs are rolled to the other side, pour another thin layer of egg mixture into the pan, lifting up the rolled egg to allow some of the raw egg mixture to spread underneath it. (This helps create one continuous piece.) Again, once the eggs are just set on the bottom but still runny on top, use the chopsticks, the spatula and/or your fingers to roll the log back onto the new layer. Repeat the process with the remaining egg mixture.
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Step 5
When you have finished the final roll, remove the pan from the heat. Let the omelet cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer it to a cutting board. Cut the log into 1-inch slices and serve warm or at room temperature.
Substitutions
To make it vegan >> use Just Egg or another liquid egg replacer brand.
