These Mayak eggs call for simple ingredients to make the most flavorful batch of eggs ever! These soft & jammy eggs are soaked in a delicious marinade overnight to create a wonderful burst of flavor in every bite. Make your own batch today with this quick & easy recipe!
What are Mayak Eggs?
“Mayak Gyeran” (마약계란), which is the Korean name of this dish, translates to “drug eggs” to signify the incredibly delicious and addictive taste of these eggs, as its alluring flavor is guaranteed to have you craving for more.
Soy-marinated eggs have always been my weakness, but this recipe, in particular, is hands down one of my favorite banchan (Korean side dishes) to make as it is suitable for any time of the day.
The beauty of this dish also lies in its versatility, as it can be used as an excellent garnish to heighten the flavors of any dish that you prefer. They also make for an incredible substitute for ramen eggs which contain similar flavor notes.
The perfect blend of flavors
The key to this recipe is the sweet and salty sauce that’s complemented with a touch of garlic, as well as the nutty aromas from the sesame oil and seeds.
This flavorful sauce is completed with finely diced onion, green onion, and hot peppers, which add an extra kick in flavor and texture to the overall marinade.
Served over a bowl of rice or noodles, these eggs make for an entirely satisfying meal on their own, which makes the dish to be an absolute staple to have in my fridge.
Although the preparation process is simple for these eggs, there are a few key tips to make the perfect batch of Mayak Eggs on your first session.
How to make the perfect jammy eggs every time
- Use room-temperature eggs if possible. About 30 minutes before cooking, take out the eggs from your fridge to prepare them for boiling.
- This will ensure the eggs are thoroughly cooked while maintaining that soft jammy texture while also preventing any cracks which are often caused by a rapid change of temperature.
- To make foolproof soft-boiled eggs, make sure to add vinegar and salt to your boiling water, while also ensuring the pot is filled with enough water to fully submerge the eggs.
- Adding vinegar and salt will make it easier for the eggs to peel, especially when the eggs are soft inside, it makes the process much more seamless.
- When the water comes to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and gently place the eggs, one at a time. Boil for exactly 6 minutes for large-sized eggs.
- To achieve the perfect cross-section, stir the eggs around in the pot for about 30 seconds in one direction, to ensure the yolk sets in the middle.
- Prepare a bucket of ice water before the eggs finish cooking, to immediately submerge them to cool when your timer goes off.
How to peel soft boiled eggs with ease
How to peel soft boiled eggs with ease- Ensure the eggs are completely cooled before peeling, for at least 15 minutes. The ice bath will cause the egg to contract and pull away from the shell, which will make the peeling process a lot easier.
- To peel the eggs without any scratches or cracks, work slowly with each egg.
- The first step is to gently tap and crack the entire surface of the egg, and proceeding to gently peel off a small portion of the eggshell and its thin layer of the membrane.
- Once a small portion is peeled off, I use a small teaspoon to gently peel off the rest of the eggshell. Perfect soft-boiled eggs require a bit of patience, but definitely worth the effort!
- Marinate the eggs overnight for the extra burst of flavor. Properly stored, these eggs are good for 3-4 days in the fridge, although I personally prefer them the next day.
- As the eggs marinate over time, they will soak up more flavor.
How do you serve Mayak Eggs?
My favorite way to serve this is on top of freshly cooked rice, in which I add some chopped green onions, sesame seeds, dried seaweed flakes, and a drizzle of sesame oil on top.
It makes for an excellent garnish over a bowl of noodles (soba, ramen, udon, etc) as well, or any dish that you prefer.
What can I do with the leftover marinade?
Although it is possible to reuse the marinade to make another batch of eggs, the flavors and texture of the second batch may not be as ideal. It will also go bad a lot faster than the first batch.
Instead, the leftover marinade can be used as an excellent garnish to heighten the flavors of any dish that you prefer. They also make for an incredible substitute for ramen eggs which contain similar flavor notes.
For detailed visual instructions, please refer to the video tutorial above (you will need to disable AdBlock if you are on your computer!).
I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious recipe, and please leave me a comment below or message me on Instagram if you have any questions!
Other Korean recipes you may like:
- Bibim Guksu (Korean Spicy Cold Noodles)
- Kimchi Fried Rice with Tuna
- Tteokbokki (Korean Spicy Rice Cakes)
- Korean Egg Drop Sandwich
- Kimchi Udon Noodle Stir Fry
- Korean Shrimp Burger
Mayak Eggs (Korean Marinated Eggs)
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- green onions, sesame seeds, dried seaweed flakes, sesame oil for garnish
Marinade
- 1/2 cup (120ml) soy sauce
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
- 1/3 cup (110g) honey, oligo syrup, corn syrup, or sugar
- 1/4 medium onion diced
- 1 green onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 each red, green chili pepper or your choice of chili pepper, diced
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add all marinade ingredients and mix to combine.
- Add vinegar and salt to a pot of boiling water. Reduce the heat and gently place each egg into the water. Simmer for 6 minutes (or 10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs). Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
- When the timer goes off, immediately transfer the eggs to the ice water bath. Allow the eggs to cool completely, for at least 5-10 minutes.
- Gently peel the eggs (detailed tips above) and place them in a container. Pour the marinade on top, cover, and store in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 6 hours.
- To serve, place the egg over a bed of rice, and garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, dried seaweed flakes, and/or sesame oil to taste. It makes for an excellent garnish over a bowl of noodles as well. Enjoy!
41 comments
Sounds amazing, am planning on making it! I took a screen shot of the recipe, and noticed you might have missed vinegar in the ingredients list, hope I don’t sound too pedantic!
Hey Josh, the salt and vinegar are for the boiling water, so I wasn’t too sure whether to add them to the ingredient list. Your feedback is helpful though, I will be sure to add that in! Happy cooking!
Should these be warmed up before serving?
Hi Tara! They are traditionally served cold with a hot bowl of rice, but you could also leave them on the counter for a few minutes to bring them to room temperature if you prefer!
Is there an alternative option you could suggest for the red and green chilies? I live in a small remote area, so it’s not always easy to find food like this. Would pepper flakes work?
Hi Ashley! You can use any kind of chili pepper including jalapeno or regular green chili, or even dried red chilies/chili flakes if that is all you have! The slight kick of spice definitely adds a lot of flavor to the marinade
Hi! Do you have any ideas for how the leftover marinade can be used?
Hi Alyssa, the marinade is delicious on its own to mix with some rice, but it also can be season your stir-fried vegetables, meats, or noodles! You can also use it for stir-frying tofu as well to add flavor. It’s such a versatile sauce, so you can definitely put it to use in your other dishes. Happy cooking!
Hi! Am I able to re-use the marinade to marinate more eggs? Or has it gone bad and not able to last another week?
Thanks!
Hi, can i use rice vinegar istead of white vinegar?
Hi Sodko, I would recommend using plain white vinegar as the acidic components are diluted in rice vinegar, so it won’t work too well in making the peeling easier. It isn’t completely necessary to use but definitely will make the process more seamless. I hope that helps!
My family loves these eggs! They taste so so good over some noodles! Thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂
Absolutely love how versatile these eggs are as well! I serve it over rice, noodles, and tastes amazing over ramen too So happy you and your family enjoyed the recipe Ashley! ღ
Hi there! I never know what kind of red pepper and green pepper to buy. Can you specify the name?
Hi Sara! Any kind of chili pepper would do, but the traditional method is to use Cheongyang chili pepper that you will find in Korean grocery stores. I hope that helps!
Today was the 5th time of making this and IT IS SO GOOD every single time. My family devours them so fast I’m thinking of making a bigger batch next time!!
I am so thrilled to hear that Grace! Definitely double or triple the batch for next time! Haha!
I’m Japanese so I usually marinate my jammy eggs in a shoyu-dashi-mirin sort of mixture (you know, the usual Japanese flavors) but this was a delightful change of pace! Thanks for the yummy idea!
Amazing!! I like to switch the marinades up myself, both Japanese and Korean renditions are amazing to add to any dish! So happy you enjoyed it!
I swear I’ve made this over 10 times now and it comes out absolutely delicious every time. Thank you again and again for this recipe!
It is my absolute pleasure! Thank you so much for sharing!!
These eggs are so addictive and they go well with literally everything!! The only change I made was more chili peppers for extra spice. The soy sauce mixture is just pure heavenly goodness. My tastebuds thank you!!
The extra spice sounds fantastic! The chili peppers truly add incredible flavors to the marinade. Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
Hi! Is the 30 seconds of stirring the eggs included in the 6 min of boiling? Can’t wait to try! Looks amazing.
Yes! The eggs are to be boiled for 6 minutes total!
I would give these an extra star if there was an option. You are so right by calling them “drug eggs”. Absolutely, hands down the best boiled eggs I have ever eaten!! I will always have these as a staple in my fridge. Sooooo good!
Haha they truly do live up to their name!! I am so happy you enjoyed them, Leah! Thanks so much for sharing! x
So simple and delicious! Definitely will make again.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing Jeremy! 🙂
I loved these as a kid, my mom made them very often. Ever since moving out, I haven’t had the time to make food as often as I want to for myself, but these make a great quick meal on top of some hot rice. Thanks!
Amazing how food connects us to our childhood and culture! I am so glad you enjoyed them V! x
Question, do you eat them cold over rice? If not, how do you warm them up after marinating overnight?
Looking forward to trying!
Hi Molly! The eggs are served cold over a hot bowl of rice, and they do warm up a bit when they are mixed in. You could also leave them on your countertop while you prepare the rice to bring them to room temperature if you prefer! Hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
these were amazing! this was my first time making any sort of marinated eggs, and they were perfect! the recipe was also thorough, concise, and easy to follow! <3
So glad to hear that Astrid! Thanks for sharing your experience with us! ♡
I made these eggs and they were amazing. Very simple recipe to follow. Thank you for sharing!
The pleasure is all mine Christine! 🙂
Love it. Perfect for breakfast!!!
Can’t agree more!! ♡
I enjoy Egg eating rice especially with MAYAK EGGS. For this I like to cook eggs. This is definitely an interesting way to Egg. I read about it being too runny but my batter was actually thick and the rice were very delicious. I used all organic ingredients like I do with everything I cook but I doubt that made a difference in the batter though. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you for this yummy recipe! I have made it twice now. Both times, when I ate it (cold) the next day, the texture of the egg becomes kind of hard and chewy. Is there a trick to storing and reheating?