I’m not scared of gadgets in the kitchen; I don’t collect them either.
Last fall, I caught word of a Kickstarter campaign for Sansaire, a new home sous-vide machine created by an alum of Seattle’s Modernist Cuisine crew. I threw my $200 into the incubator kitty. I’ve never cooked using the vacuum-sealed technique and steady temperature of sous-vide cooking. It’s a staple at some restaurants because the precision ensures that every plate that lands on a table is cooked to exactly the correct temperature, a boon in the minefield of a professional kitchen.
The Sansaire arrived a few weeks ago. I started grabbing for the egg carton.
The small canister of matcha (powdered green tea) in my refrigerator is about as old as the Sansaire is new. I’ve been using that matcha more in the kitchen since Brandon, I, and our friends Will and Alyssa traveled to Japan last November. The four of us rented a car when we landed at Narita near Tokyo and then drove all over the island of Honshu. The highways are the cleanest and clearest I’ve seen: I never saw a single crash, stalled car. The tolls are obscene. The rest stop food, though, is cheap and satisfying. Hot dogs; ramen; rice plates; local specialties. During our road trip, we hunted for rest-stop vending machines that sold green tea lattes, made to order with the touch of a button and some advanced technology.
Green tea has a crafty way of softening the brittle edges of sweets. It has a similarly powerful effect on savory food, especially eggs. Time to introduce matcha to sous-vide eggs.
Of course, first I attached the Sansaire to the side of a pot that was too small. Water, spraying everywhere. Start over. I set the dial to 136°F, let the water heat up, then set a few eggs into flowing water with a spoon. 13 minutes later the eggs were done. The yolk was set like one from a sturdy soft-boiled egg; the whites were barely congealed. I slid the eggs into bowls with the help of a spoon.
On top, a sprinkle of matcha. Then I reached for a bottle of shoyu (soy sauce) bought at an organic producer in Kamikawa, about an hour and a half from Tokyo. Some of that and a bit of toasted sesame oil.
The newfangled and the old-fashioned get along just fine.
Eggs Without a Recipe: Matcha Eggs
Boil the eggs however you like. No need for an immersion circulator. If you have one, play. If not, go old-school with a pan, water and a stove.
- 1 egg
- Matcha (powdered green tea)
- Soy sauce
- Toasted sesame oil
Cook the egg to your liking: It's best if the yolk is somewhat runny. But, hey, if you like a hard yolk, you do you. Crack the cooked egg into a bowl. Dust a tiny amount of matcha on the egg (A little goes a very long way.) Drizzle with soy sauce and a smaller amount of sesame oil. Wield a spoon and go to town.