There are different ways of cooking chicken's eggs. Omelette type is a winner mostly for Asians.
Gyeran mari is typically made with one or two types of chopped vegetables, most commonly with scallions and carrots. The filling options are endless - onion, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, cabbage, ham, bacon, cheese, etc. Gyeran mari, literally translated to rolled eggs, is Korean-style rolled omelettes. Basically, the beaten eggs are cooked until almost set, then tightly rolled/folded in layers, and finally cut into slices. It's usually eaten as a side dish for any meal, not just breakfast, and hugely popular as a lunch box item. To me, this is another delicious side dish that I can whip up last minute.
Another popular ingredient for this dish is gim (aka nori). Gim can be used along with the other ingredients or by itself. I'll show you how to makegyeran mari with gim in my next post. Making this dish is simple once you have the basics down. The key is to be patient and cook the eggs over gentle heat. If the heat is too high, you'll end up with tough eggs that will break when folded. If you don't cook the eggs enough, the rolled egg will be runny in the middle. So, let me show you how you can successfully make gyeran mari that's tender and delicious! Don't worry, if it's not perfect the first time, it will definitely come with practice.
1 - 2 servings as side dish
Ingredients:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 scallion, finely chopped
- 1/2 small carrot, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- vegetable oil for frying
- medium size non-stick pan (9 to 10-inch)
Finely chop the scallion and carrot.
Crack and beat the eggs, in a bowl with a poon or a fork, until the yolks and whites are blended well with no visible strings of whites. Stir in a pinch of salt. (The vegetables can be stirred in at this point or sprinkled over the egg in the pan.)
Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil to a medium size non-stick pan and distribute the oil evenly using a napkin or paper towel. Preheat over medium low heat, until it feels hot when you place your hand 2 to 3 inches above the bottom of the pan.
Add 1/2 of the egg mixture to the pan. Swirl it around to cover the pan.
(Skip this step if you added the vegetables in the egg mixture.) While the egg surface is still runny, sprinkle the chopped vegetables evenly over the egg. Let it cook until the top begins to set but is still wet.
Using a spatula, lift one end of the egg (about 1-1/2 inches) and fold it over to the other side. (Reduce the heat or raise the pan away from the heat for a little while if the bottom is browning.)
Lift the folded part and fold it again. Pull the egg to the rolled side, making room on the round end for an additional egg.
Add 1/2 of the remaining egg and spread to cover the open space.
When the egg addition is set, lift the folded part and fold it again. Pull the egg to the rolled side and repeat the process with the remaining egg to make an about 2-inch egg log.
Remove from the pan and let cool for about 5 minutes. Slice the egg into thick, even pieces (3/4 to 1-inch thick).
