Ramen Eggs

Method

Marinade

1. Put all the marinade ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook for about a minute, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
2. Pour into a small bowl and let it cool.

Boiling the eggs

1. Bring a saucepan of water, deep enough to cover the eggs, to the boil.
2. Optional but recommended: make a tiny hole in the round end of each egg with a needle and a small hammer (or the side of a pair of kitchen scissors).
3. Gently lower the eggs into the boiling water one at a time with a ladle. Rolling them gently for the first ½–1 minute helps centre the yolks.
4. Turn the heat down to medium and boil for 6½ minutes. (6 minutes gives an almost entirely runny yolk and very soft white; 7 minutes gives a set but not runny yolk.)
5. Drain and put the eggs straight into iced water to cool them quickly and stop the cooking.
6. Gently crack the shells all over and peel, removing any bits of the thin membrane.

Marinating

1. Pat the eggs dry and put them in a zip-lock bag. Pour in the cooled marinade, press out as much air as you can and seal.
2. Refrigerate for 8–10 hours, turning the eggs after 4 hours so they marinate evenly.
3. To serve, halve each egg with a piece of thread wrapped around it (cleaner than a knife with a runny yolk). Serve on ramen, as a side or over rice.