Ramen Style Soft Boiled Eggs

To prepare these, your eggs should be cold, directly from the refrigerator. Boil some water in a saucepan on the stove and gently add the eggs (you can put them in with a spoon to stop them cracking when they hit the bottom of the pan). Lower the heat just a bit so that the water is bubbling but not so strong that the eggs are bouncing around. I use medium-sized eggs and boil them for 7 minutes, which makes a soft yolk. If you want a really runny yolk, go for 6. Prepare the ice bath (3 or 4 cups water + 2 or 3 trays of ice cubes). If you don't have lots of ice cube trays, fill small zip lock bags with water and place them on a flat plate and put them in the freezer a few days before making the eggs. Cut the plastic bag from the ice and add it to the ice bath. When the eggs are boiled, transfer them directly from the boiling water into the ice bath. Make sure they are completely covered with the iced water. Leave them in the ice bath in the fridge for between 3-4 hours. To make the marinade, bring soy sauce, sake, mirin and water to the boil in a saucepan. Turn off and add ginger, garlic and sesame oil. Leave to cool. Find a glass container with a lid that the eggs will fit snugly into. Take the eggs out of the iced water and carefully peel off the shells. Place the peeled eggs in the glass container and gently pour on the cooled marinade until it covers the eggs. Put on a lid or cover with cling film and leave overnight or for at least 3-5 hours. You can store the eggs and the liquid in the fridge for several days. Bring the eggs back to room temperature before serving. Don't re-use the marinade for eggs unless it is within a day or two.