Shrimp And Mountain Yam Tamago Recipe

One day in our conference room up in the sky, we got to talking about food cultures we all loved but wanted to know more about. With that, the idea of Around The World In 5 Editors was born. Each day this week, one of the editors breaks in with a lineup of stories, recipes, interviews and personal essays dedicated to their respective country. In honor of today's focus on Japanese cuisine, here is a recipe for tamago.

Tamago, or "grilled egg," is a type of Japanese omelet. It can be served with rice and seaweed as nigiri (pictured above) and is often enjoyed as a bridge between savory and sweet courses during a sushi meal. While preparing tamago can be as simple as combining eggs, rice vinegar, sugar and soy sauce and cooking over low heat, the additions of Japanese mountain yam and shrimp impart a savory element and form more of a custard texture. A particularly well-made piece of tamago can even bring one to tears. Just watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi.