Tamago Zōsui (Japanese Egg and Rice Soup)

Rinse the rice

Put the cooked rice in a sieve and rinse briefly under cold running water to wash off surface starch, so the soup stays light and clear. Drain well before using.

• 300 g cooked rice

✅ Done when: water runs mostly clear and rice is well drained

Season the broth

In a medium saucepan, bring the dashi stock to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then stir in the light soy sauce, mirin and salt. Add the shiitake mushrooms and simmer for about 3 minutes.

• 600 ml dashi stock
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 shiitake mushrooms

✅ Done when: mushrooms look softened and the broth smells fragrant

Simmer the rice

Add the rinsed rice to the pot and simmer gently over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring once, until the rice has softened and absorbed some of the broth.

• 300 g rinsed rice

✅ Done when: rice looks slightly swollen and the soup has thickened a little

Add the egg

Turn the heat to low, then pour the beaten eggs over the surface in a thin, circular stream. Cover with a lid, turn off the heat and let stand for 1 minute.

• 2 beaten eggs

✅ Done when: egg is just set in soft ribbons, not fully firm

Serve

Ladle the soup into two bowls and top with the spring onions and shredded nori.

• 2 spring onions
• 1 pinch shredded nori