Onsen Tamago DOE - SBR3

I think I can finalize my "onsen tamagao using tools available in the office" recipe.

Method:

1. Fill the kettle with about 1.7l of water
2. Boil the water
3. Wait for 3.5 minutes for the water temperature to drop.
4. Slowly and carefully place 2 eggs into the boiled water using spoon.
5. Wait for 8.5 minutes to take out the eggs from the hot water.
6. Place the eggs into a bowl of ice water after take out from the kettle.
7. Let the eggs sit for a while in the ice water before peel.

Results: The yolks are creamy runny, and the white are soft and springy. Exactly how I want my onsen tamago to be.

Problem: I still cannot peel the eggs nicely. I think I still need to eat a few days of onsen tamago before I can master this skill :)

Poached Egg in Miso

The drought in Penang seems never ending. I have not had weekend afternoon tea in the garden for months. So when it started to rain, all my cells celebrate with joy.

I decided to continue my egg-mania for the rain celebration. I craved for something hot so I decided to go for poached egg in miso.

Contrary to the "almost-full-factorial-runs" in making onsen tamago in the office (with very limited cooking appliances available), I had my almost-perfect poached egg in the first run (after getting some tips from the internet, of course).

Method:
1. bring water to almost boiling.
2. crack an egg into a small bowl so that it is easier for you to carefully and slowly drop the egg into the water. (I have no confidence in the stillness of my hand in dropping the egg gracefully so I cheated. See the picture on the right)
3. turn off the heat and let the egg sit for 4 minutes.
4. take out the egg and it is ready to be served.

After I took out the egg, I boiled the water balance in the pot to cook my miso soup. Use some of the miso soup as the sauce for the poached egg. To add the flavor, I sprinkled some pepper and katsuobushi.

Perfect for a rainy Saturday evening!

Onsen Tamago DOE - SBR2

Continue with my yesterday Onsen Tamago DOE, today I bought another 10 eggs to office.
I have been thinking about the 'disadvantages' of using kettle in this experiment - the direct heat from the heating plate at the bottom of the kettle. Hence, today I tried to add in another factor -- container.

Purpose: To find the combination for "perfect" onsen tamagao using tools available in the office
Material & Apparatus: kettle, bowl, spoon, eggs, cold water, plastic container
Factors: amount of water, temperature, number of eggs in the water, container

Experiment 1
Method:
1. Fill the kettle with water and boil the water.
2. Place y eggs in the plastic container.
3. Once the water is boil, pour the boiled into the plastic container so that it is at least 2 cm over the eggs and close the cover.
4. As control, slowly and carefully place y eggs into the kettle of boiled water using spoon.
5. Wait for z1 minutes. Take the first egg out from the plastic container and place into the bowl filled with cold water.
6. After z2 minutes. Take the second egg out from the plastic container and place into a bowl of cold water.
7. Wait for z3 minutes. Take the eggs out from the hot water from the kettle and place into a bowl of cold water.
8. Peel and ready to serve.

y = 2
z1 = 12 minutes
z2 = 15 minutes
z3 = 8 minutes
Results:
1) the 1st egg in the plastic container - both white and yolk are runny
2) the 2nd egg in the plastic container - almost similar to half-boiled egg
e) the 2 eggs in the kettle could repeat yesterday's results.


Experiment 2

For Experiment 2, I decided to give up the plastic container and focus only on the kettle. To solve the problem of "direct heating" from the heating plate at the bottom of the kettle, instead of directly add the eggs into the boiled water, I waited for w minutes before putting in the eggs.
Also, I just noticed that my kettle actually with water level indicator that actually not so hard to estimate. Hence, I could make my x level of water clearer in this experiment.

Method:
1. Fill the kettle with x level of water
2. Boil the water
3. Wait for w minutes for the water temperature to drop.
4. Slowly and carefully place y eggs into the boiled water using spoon.
4. Wait for z1 minutes to take out the first egg and z2 minutes to take out the 2nd egg.
5. Place the eggs into a bowl of cold water after take out from the kettle.
6. Peel and ready to serve.

x = about 1.25l
w = 3 minutes
y = 2
z1 = 8 minutes
z2 = 10 minutes

Results:

z1 = 8 minutes

the first egg (z1 = 8 minutes) - white is soft and springy but a little bit runny. The yolk is with nice soft texture. Most probably just a few seconds over cook from my targeted outcome.

z2 = 10 minutes

the second egg (z2 = 0 minutes) - white is soft and springy but the yolk is cooked.

  

Experiment 3

For Experiment 3, I left only one egg so I decided to try with the maximum level of water. Besides, I got so frustrated with the process of peeling the eggs so I search the internet again and get this tip: make a small crack (without breaking the membrane) at the bottom of the egg before you cook the egg. This tip proven to help in the peeling process almost by 80%. 

Method:
1. Fill the kettle with x level of water
2. Boil the water
3. Wait for w minutes for the water temperature to drop.
4. Slowly and carefully place the egg into the boiled water using spoon.
4. Wait for z minutes to take out the egg.
5. Place the eggs into a bowl of cold water after take out from the kettle.
6. Peel and ready to serve.

x = about 1.7l
w = 4 minutes

z = 8.5 minutes

Results: I know I am getting nearer to my desired outcome! The yolk is closer to creamy runny.
I have confidence that I can get my perfect onsen tamago in the office next week by increasing the w and reducing the z.

Onsen Tamago DOE - SBR1

Our Recent Egg-Mania

Yesterday, I suddenly craved for onsen tamago, while in the office!! I searched the internet for recipe, and I decided that it's something extremely simple that we can make in the office. So, I forced my lunch mates to go to restaurants near to "chai diam ma" so that I can get myself some eggs.

Though you can easily get the recipe from the internet, please bare in mind that the containers are different, and hence the heat transfer rate will be different. Besides, most of the recipe online said you have to control the temperature. There's no way I can control the water temperature in the office. Hence, to make the "perfect" onsen tamago, you need to do real Design of Experiement (DOE).





Here's my experiment log for Onsen Tamago DOE, Special Build Request #1:

Purpose: To find the combination for "perfect" onsen tamagao using tools available in the office
Material & Apparatus: kettle, bowl, spoon, eggs, cold water
Factors: amount of water, temperature, number of eggs in the water
Method:
1. Fill the kettle with x level of water (following the indicator shown on the kettle) 
2. Boil the water
3. Slowly and carefully place y eggs into the boiled water using spoon.
4. Wait for z minutes.
5. Take the eggs out from the hot water and place into the bowl filled with cold water.
6. Peel and ready to serve. (Anyone wish to share the secret to peel the onsen tamago nicely? This is my biggest headache at this moment)

Experiment 1
x = min level indicated on the kettle ( about 1.5 cm over the top of the eggs)
y = 4
z = 20 minutes
Results: the white is soft and springy but the yolk already too hard for my liking

Experiment 2
x = between min and medium level indicated on the kettle (about 1 inch over the top of the eggs)
y = 2
z = 12 minutes
Results: the white is soft and springy but the yolk still too hard for my liking


Experiment 3
x = between min and medium level indicated on the kettle (about 1 inch over the top of the eggs)
y = 2
z = 8 minutes
Results: runny white

Experiment 4
x = between min and medium level indicated on the kettle (about 1 inch over the top of the eggs)
y = 2
z = 10 minutes
Results: the white is soft and springy but the yolk is slightly cooked

I ran out of eggs after these 4 experiments. Tomorrow, I'm going to run SBR #2 by slightly modifying the method. Instead of directly add the eggs into the boiled water, I'm going to wait for w minutes before putting in the eggs. I need the water temperature to drop to certain level (not measurable) so that I can get runny yolk.

Wish us luck :)