This is the recipe we make most often with our own eggs — a quick weeknight shoyu ramen, topped with a jammy, soft-boiled quail egg. Because quail eggs are so small, they cook (and cool) fast, which makes this an easy dish to throw together after a long day.
Ingredients
- 6–8 Lake House quail eggs
- 4 cups good chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (shoyu)
- 1 tbsp sweet rice vinegar or mirin rice seasoning
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 portions ramen noodles
- Sliced scallions, nori, and chili oil to top
Soft-boiling the quail eggs
Because quail eggs are so small, timing is everything:
- Bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil.
- Lower quail eggs in carefully with a spoon.
- Boil for exactly 2 minutes 15 seconds for a jammy yolk (try 2 minutes 30 seconds for a slightly firmer center).
- Transfer immediately to an ice bath for at least 3 minutes.
- Peel gently. Start at the wide part of the egg where the air pocket is. Crack the shell there and peel it off. The membrane between the egg and the shell is much thicker on quail eggs than chicken eggs, so even though they're so small, it's sometimes easier to peel them.
A jammy quail egg should jiggle just slightly in the center when you shake it.
Building the bowl
- Warm the broth with garlic, soy sauce, sweet rice vinegar or mirin rice seasoning, and sesame oil over medium heat for 8–10 minutes.
- Cook the noodles according to package instructions and divide between two bowls.
- Ladle the hot broth over the noodles.
- Halve 3–4 soft-boiled quail eggs per bowl and arrange on top.
- Finish with scallions, a sheet of torn nori, and a drizzle of chili oil.
If you've never cooked with quail eggs before, this recipe is the easiest way to fall for them. The yolks are rich enough to basically become part of the broth.