Heart-Shaped Tamagoyaki (Japanese Omelet)

If you're looking for something special to make this Valentine's Day, here's a tutorial on how to make heart-shaped tamago without using any heart-shaped tools!  Even though it might look complicated, if you can make scrambled eggs, you can make these.  They would also be great for a Mother's Day breakfast in bed or just whenever you feel like surprising a loved one.

Traditional Japanese tamagoyaki is made from rolling up thinly cooked scrambled eggs.  You'll usually see it in a rectangular or long oval shape.  To make the heart-shaped version, you'll want to make a flattened log, cut out cross sections, and then bisect the cross sections diagonally.

When you flip one of the halves and put it together again, you get the hearts!  You could stop here, but with just a little more effort, you can re-dip the hearts in some uncooked scrambled eggs and cook it again for a few seconds to seal the halves together.

I originally got the idea for making this from my friends Xing-Yin and Esther, who pointed me to a video of someone making it.  Unfortunately I can't find that video anymore, so you'll have to settle for these instructions and pictures. this video.  I like to make mine with just some salt, sesame oil, and mirin to add some flavor, but this would probably work with just straight scrambled eggs, too!

Heart Shaped Tamagoyaki
serves 1-2

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon mirin

Pour the oil into a small bowl.  Dip a folded up piece of paper towel in the oil and use it to apply a film of oil to a nonstick skillet about 8" in diameter.  Heat the pan on medium heat.

Scramble the rest of the ingredients together, but try not to introduce too many air bubbles into the mixture.

Pour a third of the egg mixture onto the hot pan and swirl it around so that the bottom is evenly covered.  You may want to turn down the heat a bit here since you don't want the egg to cook completely through while you are folding it.

Starting from one end, fold over about 1/4" of the egg and continue to fold it over and over until all the egg has been rolled up.  You want to do this carefully so that you get a tight bundle and end up with a flattened log.

Slide this log over towards the end where you started folding and re-oil the bottom of the pan.  Pour in half of the remaining egg mixture and swirl the pan again to make another layer.

Start folding the egg again in the same direction until it is all folded up.  Slide the log back, re-oil, and pour almost all of egg mixture in, reserving about a teaspoon.  Repeat the swirling and folding.  Once all the egg has been folded up into a flattened log, remove the egg from the pan and place it on a cutting board.

Slice off the uneven ends, then cut the rest of the log into 1/2"-3/4" cross sections.  Lay each cross section down and make a diagonal slice.  Flip one of the halves over and rejoin to make a heart shape.

Choose the nicest shaped sides of each heart, and dip that side into the leftover egg mixture.  Place dipped side down onto the pan and cook for another 15 seconds.  Serve dipped side up.

Next:  Odile's Fresh Orange Cake
Previously:  Matcha White Hot Chocolate
Last Year:  Homemade Tagliatelle with Shaved Truffles
Two Years Ago:  Potato Dominoes
Six Years Ago:  Cassava Heavy Cake