What’s the most popular way to prepare Japan’s beloved breakfast dish, Tamago Kake Gohan?

Survey results shed light on people’s personal preferences for mixing the raw egg into the rice as well as which side seasonings to add for flavor.

When I asked my Japanese friend who’s currently living in the rural U.S. what food she misses the most from home, she responded very quickly: “TKG.” In fact, she loves TKG so much that it’s often the first and last meal that she eats at Haneda Airport in the midst of her international travels–and I’m willing to bet that she’s not the only one who’s had similar thoughts.

“TKG” affectionately stands for Tamago Kake Gohan, or a bowl of rice topped with raw egg and other seasonings (raw eggs are generally safe to consume in Japan, unlike in many other countries). It’s a simple dish that can be eaten at any time of the day but is often consumed as a quick and no-fuss breakfast. Individuals can also get very particular about the “right” way to eat it–not unlike friends arguing over which pizza toppings are acceptable and not (OK, maybe not quite to the same heated level as the debate over pineapple pizza, though).

In honor of TKG Day on October 30, which celebrates the establishment of the Japan Tamago Kake Gohan Symposium, Japanese “Dining Out Food Research Institute” Hot Pepper Gourmet Gaishoku Soken recently conducted an online survey with 1,035 male and female participants ranging in age from their 20s through 60s. The Institute’s goal was to determine the most common trends for consuming TKG in terms of both preparing the raw egg as well as adding seasonings to the dish.

▼ TKG in its purest form–a simple, no-frills version with just rice and egg

The survey’s first question sought to gauge the percentage of people who actually like TKG. 79.1 percent of participants responded that they like the dish, including 35.1 percent who really like it (versus only 4.6 percent who really dislike it).

The second question asked survey takers how they prepare the raw egg, to which 885 participants shared their thoughts. Those who responded to the first question that they can’t eat TKG due to allergies or simply have never eaten it were excluded from this portion. Here are the results from most common to least common preparation methods.

● 42.3 percent: Whip the egg in a separate dish then mix it into the rice
● 41.6 percent: Place the egg directly on top of the rice then crack and mix it into the rice
● 9.4 percent: Whip the egg in a separate dish then place it on top of the rice without mixing it in
● 2.9 percent: Separate the egg yolk from the egg white then place only the yolk on top of the rice
● 2.5 percent: Place the egg directly on top of the rice then crack it without mixing it in
● 0.6 percent: Separate the egg yolk from the egg white then make only the egg white into a meringue and add to the rice

Regardless of when the egg comes into play during prep, the results indicate that the vast majority of respondents ultimately mix the raw egg into the rice before eating it. It’s not hard to see why, either, as doing so results in a creamy, comforting texture that’s also easy to swallow. Perhaps a loose comparison is to mac and cheese.

▼A typical bowl of TKG with the egg mixed into the rice

Finally, the last survey question asked participants to identify the most delicious toppings for TKG besides the standard soy sauce. Here are the top 10 responses in order of popularity.

● 36.5 percent: Dashi soy sauce
● 26.4 percent: Mentsuyu (noodle dipping sauce)
● 17.9 percent: Umami seasoning
● 17.6 percent: Sesame oil
● 9.6 percent: Shiro dashi (concentrated soup stock)
● 7.2 percent: Salt
● 6.4 percent: Dashi no moto (instant dashi powder)
● 5.0 percent: Chili oil mixed with fried garlic
● 4.9 percent: Shichimi spice
● 4.3 percent: Ponzu

As you can see, a number of the top seasonings included various forms of dashi, or Japanese stock that forms the basis for all kinds of soup, noodle, and simmered dishes. A small splash of dashi can add a depth of flavor to even the most simple dish, making it a perfect accompaniment for the humble TKG.

▼ Green onions and sesame seeds are other common condiments eaten with TKG.

Incidentally, according to my TKG-loving friend, the best way to eat the dish is together with natto, though she also recommends smoked soy sauce and sesame oil. As a fellow natto lover myself, that is a style that I can definitely get behind.

Source: PR Times
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert images: Pakutaso (1, 2, 3)
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