Mayak Eggs (Korean Soy Sauce Eggs) Recipe

Mayak eggs are savoury, appetising and straightforward to make. With an addictive umami taste and a subtle kick of sweetness and spice, it's no wonder this Korean dish translates to "drug eggs". Not because Korean marinated eggs have any actual drugs but simply because it is addicting to eat.

These special soy sauce eggs have a soft, jammy centre that can elevate any bowl of rice or noodles to a heavenly level. They're healthy and low in calories. Trust us when we say that our timeless Mayak Gyeran recipe is the one for you.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Mayak Eggs (Korean Soy Sauce Eggs)
• Tips on cooking the eggs
• Ingredient Substitutes
• How To Store
• Leftover Marinade
• Keto Version
• How To Eat Mayak Eggs

Ingredients

To make Korean marinated eggs, you'll need the following ingredients.

• eggs
• soy sauce
• sugar
• onion
• garlic
• red and green chilis
• sesame seeds

For a perfect batch of Mayak eggs, use room-temperature ones to get that jammy texture we all love and crave. Whether you make them soft-boiled or hard-boiled, they taste great either way.

The real secret that makes this moreish Korean dish so popular lies in its marinade. Unlike other Korean dishes that go viral, this dish is arguably healthy. This is mainly due to the fact that there is no oil and very little sugar used to make it.

Tips on cooking the eggs

You should do a few practical things to get eggs with a jammy centre that is also easy to peel. 

1. Take the eggs out of the fridge and let them rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before you start cooking. We want the eggs to be at room temperature so that we can fine-tune the cooking time to make them jammy at the centre.
2. Don't skip this step unless you want to make hard-boiled eggs. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and salt each into the water pot to boil the eggs. This will help make it easier to break the soft-boiled eggs' shells.
3. To help prevent the eggs from sticking to their shells, put the boiled eggs into an ice bath and let them rest in it for about 10 minutes. The temperature difference between the boiled egg's hot interior and cold exterior will help separate the shell from the flesh, making it easier to peel. 
4. When cracking the shell, firmly hold the egg in your hand and hit the side on a flat surface like your kitchen top. Avoid cracking from the top or bottom of the egg, as that's the strongest point of the shell. The sides are the most brittle area of the egg, so crack them first. You can also use a metal spoon to crack the egg.
5. When peeling eggs, you want to try to peel off the shell as well as the inner membrane. You will see a thin, whitish membrane between the flesh of the egg and its shell. Tear the membrane off while peeling off the shell. If you get the technique right, tearing the membrane will help the shell pop right off the flesh.

No ice?

If you don't have any ice at hand, you can simply use cold tap water to cool your eggs. Add your cooked eggs to a bowl of cold water and let them rest for 5 minutes. The boiled eggs will start to warm up the water. Then, remove the water and refill the bowl with more cold tap water.

We find boiling the eggs for 7 minutes to be lovely, as they still have a jammy yolk in the centre, but the egg white is thoroughly cooked. If you want a softer-boiled egg, we suggest boiling it for 6 minutes. If you want a hard-boiled egg, cook for 10 minutes.

Ingredient Substitutes

Some recipes call for using rice syrup or honey as the sweetener for Mayak eggs. While it does make a difference, it's quite subtle. The other ingredients, such as soy sauce, garlic, onions and chilli, all have intense flavours and aromas, too, so the other ingredients will mostly overshadow the sweetness and fragrance from honey and rice syrup.

So, there is no need to use 'precious' ingredients; just regular white sugar is used. Use hot water to dissolve the white sugar before mixing it with the soy sauce. White sugar will not dissolve as efficiently in cold water.

You can use quail eggs instead of chicken eggs. However, as these are smaller and more expensive, we don't recommend using them. Remember that your Mayak eggs will taste great regardless of the egg type. 

How To Store

The best way to store your Korean marinated eggs is in the refrigerator. They'll last 5 to 7 days, so don't fret about finishing them right away.

However, note that these drug eggs are best consumed within 24 hours so you can savour their addictive taste. If you want to reheat the eggs using a microwave, please cut the eggs first. If you don't, there's a high chance that the egg might burst in the microwave! When microwaving a whole boiled egg, heat will build up inside, and if there's no way for it to escape, it may burst, causing a big mess in the microwave.

Leftover Marinade

If you have any leftover marinade, your first idea might be to use them to make a second batch of Mayak eggs. Although it's okay to do this, the new batch won't be as flavourful as the first. 

Alternatively, use the leftover marinade as a garnish to enhance the taste of other dishes. For example, any dish of meat, tofu or vegetables could greatly benefit from its exquisite taste.

Or, if you're out of ideas - pour the leftover marinade over cooked rice! The flavourful sauce will enhance the rice meal by manifolds. The addictive appeal of these soy sauce eggs has always come from its marinade.

Keto Version

For a keto version, omit the sugar or use sugar-free sweeteners instead. Therefore, it is a healthier option for anyone looking to cut their weight.

How To Eat Mayak Eggs

Pair these yummy soy sauce eggs with a steaming hot bowl of rice as a classic move! Unless you'd prefer to eat them over soba, ramen, or any other type of noodles. However, you could also eat it on its own – that's how locals commonly enjoy the dish.

This dish tastes best with extra garnish on top. Drizzle in some sesame oil and embellish with sesame seeds or dried seaweed flakes, and your special soy sauce eggs will be good to go.

Ready to try our Mayak eggs recipe? Have your own? Share your photos on our Instagram @honestfoodtalks. We can't wait to see how your Korean marinated eggs turn out!