Raw Egg

Talk about the culture and entertainment from Nihon.
Post Reply
ianwarren
Posts: 21
Joined: Jul 31st, '05, 12:02
Location: Wolverhampton - England

Raw Egg

Post by ianwarren » Sep 13th, '06, 01:23

I'm sure this is a rather bizzare question but could anyone enlighten me as to how raw egg is served with Japanese food?

I always found it strange because in England we are constantly warned that eggs MUST be cooked properly (or your head will explode or something), yet I see on dramas, movies and mangas people talking about having raw egg in their ramen or beef bowl or whatever.

At the moment I usually eat my instant ramen with an egg cracked in it (the egg turns into cooked shreds like egg drop soup) and a chunk of cheese melted in it. How can I incorporate raw egg into this nutricious masterpiece? :mrgreen:

choco_panda
Posts: 58
Joined: May 18th, '06, 22:51
Location: Australia

Post by choco_panda » Sep 13th, '06, 02:21

When I was in Japan, I usually have raw egg with my beef bowl. You can order it separately and yeah. It is sooooo nice.

There is also sukiyaki place where you can dip your meat into raw egg before eating.

Since I went to Japan, I became to like raw egg so much that I eat it with a lot of things.
Sometimes I just put the egg with rice and then shoyu and just eat. :lol

But my Japanese gf told me thou, that she cant stand raw egg and in fact not that many Japanese do.

Ps. yeah, I also eat instant noodle your way, egg and chess. yum :P

pokute
Fansubber
Fansubber
Posts: 1034
Joined: Apr 27th, '05, 22:15

Post by pokute » Sep 13th, '06, 02:48

You can minimise the danger of eating raw eggs by washing the outside of the egg very thoroughly before cracking it. Where I live (Los Angeles) sickness caused by contaminated food is epidemic. At Caltech, where I work, the cafeteria will often refuse to serve elderly people who appear to be in poor health for fear of lawsuits. I saw one elderly Nobel Prize winner have a real fit when he was refused a pastrami sandwich. An incalculable amount of work time is lost due to the sale of prepared food from "roach coaches" which can simply change their route if they make too many people ill in one place. They also avoid waste disposal fees by dumping their refuse on the road in the early morning.

GhstDreamer
Posts: 229
Joined: Dec 8th, '03, 01:15
Location: In Kant's Transcendental Mind

Post by GhstDreamer » Sep 13th, '06, 03:39

choco_panda wrote: Since I went to Japan, I became to like raw egg so much that I eat it with a lot of things.
Sometimes I just put the egg with rice and then shoyu and just eat. :lol

But my Japanese gf told me thou, that she cant stand raw egg and in fact not that many Japanese do.
I love eating eggs raws or at least mostly raw (crack it onto the pan for a second and then put it on to a plate)...I can't eat eggs any other way - toast with raw eggs are the best!

I didn't know that alot of people in Japan don't like it - I always thought that a lot of them actually enjoy eating raw eggs - on those food shows I watch, they always seem to be cracking that raw egg into everything! lol

mizune
Geinou Fansubber
Geinou Fansubber
Posts: 2001
Joined: Dec 15th, '03, 17:45
Location: undercover admin

Post by mizune » Sep 13th, '06, 03:45

All I can say is:
ramen with cheese? :crazy: :fear:

SHD
Fansubber
Fansubber
Posts: 89
Joined: Apr 8th, '05, 19:56
Location: Hawai'i

Post by SHD » Sep 13th, '06, 04:20

one time I was attending a workshop and the inn where we were put up made us decide beforehand if we would have Japanese or Western breakfast each morning--no ordering by the day. the first couple of days I had to break the raw egg into my misoshiru (miso soup) to sort of cook it. by the ending of the week everyone (including the Japanese participants) was so tired of the same breakfast, by that time I was just throwing it over my rice and go!

i think the possibilities of samonella and whatever must seem less likely (for whatever reason) since this is less of an issue over there.

choco_panda
Posts: 58
Joined: May 18th, '06, 22:51
Location: Australia

Post by choco_panda » Sep 13th, '06, 07:07

mizune wrote:All I can say is:
ramen with cheese? :crazy: :fear:

You should try. It is really nice :lol Especially Mozzarella.
At first I was thinking. :crazy: too, but after I try it :thumleft:

kinkachou
Posts: 2
Joined: Jul 28th, '06, 03:18

Post by kinkachou » Sep 13th, '06, 07:28

This has confused me as well, since everyone I know in America was always told to make sure eggs are cooked while in Japan I knew a lot of people who put it on their ramen. The only thing I can think of is that eggs in Japan are pasteurized (heated to kill bacteria) before being sold in the supermarket. This isn't common for American eggs so that could explain the difference. Either that or it's just an old wives tale that you'll get sick from raw eggs. Either way, just like eating raw horse meat and raw fish, it's probably something best done only in Japan.

J1N
Posts: 16
Joined: Aug 12th, '05, 19:59

Post by J1N » Sep 13th, '06, 07:41

i like to eat hot rice mixed with soy sauce and raw egg. it sounds nasty, but it's actually really yummy ^_^ it's true that you can get salmonella or whatnot from eating raw eggs, so i only eat it once in a while.

eggs in ramyun/ramen are the bomb.

MirroredSoul
Posts: 9
Joined: Oct 9th, '06, 17:15

Post by MirroredSoul » Jan 3rd, '07, 07:05

I haven't tasted the Japanese raw egg thing but I have eaten the 'normal' raw egg in one swallow (for a contest) and it wasn't pleasant, at all. However, I would love to taste that specially prepared raw egg on ramen (sounds yummy).

groink
Posts: 2016
Joined: Dec 8th, '03, 03:58
Location: Pearl City, Hawaii
Been thanked: 1 time

Post by groink » Jan 3rd, '07, 07:33

Raw Eggs for Your Health -- Major Update

By J. Mercola, D.O.

As many of you know, I am a fond proponent of using raw eggs as a major food in your diet.

Raw whole eggs are a phenomenally inexpensive and incredible source of high-quality nutrients that many of us are deficient in, especially high-quality protein and fat.

Eggs generally are one of the most allergic foods that are eaten, but I believe this is because they are cooked. If one consumes the eggs in their raw state the incidence of egg allergy virtually disappears. Heating the egg protein actually changes its chemical shape, and the distortion can easily lead to allergies.

So, if you have not been able to tolerate eggs before you will want to consider eating them uncooked.

But when one discusses raw eggs, the typical reaction is a fear of salmonella. So let me begin this update, my first that comprehensively addresses the immediate concern of nearly everyone who hears this recommendation.

"Well What About Salmonella? Won't I Get Sick If I Eat Raw Eggs?"

Salmonella is a serious infection, and it is believed that in the US over two-thirds of a million cases of human illnesses a year result from eating contaminated eggs. If you want more information on salmonella the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has an excellent page on this disease.

So why on earth would any competent health care professional ever recommend eating uncooked eggs?

When you carefully analyze the risk of contracting salmonella from raw eggs, you will find that it is actually quite low. A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this year (Risk Analysis April 2002 22(2):203-18 ) showed that of the 69 billion eggs produced annually, only 2.3 million of them are contaminated with salmonella.

So simple math suggests that only 0.003 percent of eggs are infected. The translation is that only one in every 30,000 eggs is contaminated with salmonella. This gives you an idea of how uncommon this problem actually is.

While it is likely that I will consume more than 30,000 eggs in my lifetime, most of you will not. However, inevitably someone out there will find a salmonella-contaminated egg, so it is important to understand how to seriously decrease your risk of infection.

Salmonella infections are usually present only in traditionally raised commercial hens. If you are purchasing your eggs from healthy chickens this infection risk reduces dramatically. Remember, only sick chickens lay salmonella-contaminated eggs. If you are obtaining high quality, cage-free, organically fed, omega-3 enhanced chicken eggs as recommended above, the risk virtually disappears.

But let's say that for some reason, even after following that advice, you still obtain an egg that is infected. What do you do? Well, before you eat eggs - raw or not -- you should thoroughly examine them for signs of infection. I have provided some guidelines at the bottom of this section for you to use in this process.

You might still be a bit nervous and say, "What if I follow these guidelines and still get an infection?"

Salmonella Is Generally a Benign Self-Limiting Illness In Healthy People

The major principle to recognize here is that if you are healthy a salmonella infection is not a big deal. You may feel sick and have loose stools, but this infection is easily treated by using high-quality probiotics that have plenty of good bacteria. You can take a dose every 30 minutes until you start to feel better, and most people improve within a few hours.

Revised Recommendations For Raw Egg Whites

Earlier this summer, I posted an article that suggested that one should not eat raw egg whites. This is the traditional nutritional dogma as raw egg whites contain a glycoprotein called avidin that is very effective at binding biotin, one of the B vitamins. The concern is that this can lead to a biotin deficiency. The simple solution is to cook the egg whites as this completely deactivates the avidin.

The problem is that it also completely deactivates nearly every other protein in the egg white. While you will still obtain nutritional benefits from consuming cooked egg whites, from a nutritional perspective it would seem far better to consume them uncooked.

Since making the recommendation in July, I have more carefully studied this issue. Two groups brought me to back this: pet owners who feed their pets raw foods and Aajonus Vonderplanitz, who wrote the raw food book We Want to Live. Both feel quite strongly that raw eggs are just fine to eat.

After my recent studies it became clear that the egg’s design carefully compensated for this issue.

It put tons of biotin in the egg yolk. Egg yolks have one of the highest concentrations of biotin found in nature. So it is likely that you will not have a biotin deficiency if you consume the whole raw egg, yolk and white. It is also clear, however, that if you only consume raw egg whites, you are nearly guaranteed to develop a biotin deficiency unless you take a biotin supplement.

There is a potential problem with using the entire raw egg if you are pregnant. Biotin deficiency is a common concern in pregnancy and it is possible that consuming whole raw eggs would make it worse.

If you are pregnant you have two options. The first is to actually measure for a biotin deficiency. This is best done through urinary excretion of 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid (3-HIA), which increases as a result of the decreased activity of the biotin-dependent enzyme methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase.

It might take you some time to get used to using raw eggs. I personally have shifted to consuming them "Rocky style" one egg with the yolk intact and swallowing them whole. Usually two eggs at one sitting.

Alternatively, you could have your raw eggs in a protein shake or Living Fuel Rx or take a biotin supplement.

taro
Posts: 107
Joined: Aug 1st, '05, 23:20
Location: Hawaii

Post by taro » Jan 9th, '07, 06:57

Ways I eat raw egg: as mentioned mix with shoyu on top of hot rice. Haven't done it in a long time, but yum. Curry rice, make a little crater, drop in egg, mix in a little Japanese worchestishire, oh yeah! Sukiyaki dipping sauce, mmm, richness. Sukiyaki just isn't the same without it! Friend mixes it sometimes with natto, I've never tried it that way. Have done raw egg with yamaimo, grated mountain yam, mix w/shoyu over rice. Now if you did that with natto too you would have had the slimy trinity!
And I've also had sasami. Not intentionally. Quite delicious actually. And if you don't know what that is, it's basically chicken sashimi, raw chicken. Don't think I'd make it a regular item to eat, I'd be very warry as you would want the chicken to have been handled carefully all the way from farm to table.

camui_alexa
Posts: 9
Joined: Oct 30th, '06, 06:06
Location: Sonora Desert

Post by camui_alexa » Jan 9th, '07, 18:29

I know many people love raw eggs, and that they are, in fact, quite healthy, but I just can't stand them. I have something for textures in my food, and that is one of those that makes me sick. For me, eggs have to be totally cooked.

Moriya
Posts: 79
Joined: Dec 14th, '06, 04:59

Post by Moriya » Jan 11th, '07, 01:36

Raw Egg in ramen

rules

:thumright:

nicebeet
Posts: 4
Joined: Dec 23rd, '06, 17:32

lol eggs

Post by nicebeet » Jan 28th, '07, 07:33

i can't believe you guys are talking about eggs. haha.

well, i know that a lot of people put eggs on their really hot rice. i love putting eggs on my rice with kimchi. the rice has to be really hot and then i mix the rice and eggs add some soy sauce and put some kimchi in with the of the red sauce and like whatever else i have left over. bomb.

sometimes when i make instant noodles i cook the noodles in the microwave and then for the last minute, i crack an egg in there without breaking it and let it cook for another minute. this makes the egg only partially cooked. i only like eggs when the yolk is only partially cooked. i hate overcooked eggs with hard yolks.

i wouldn't eat a raw egg plain. only with rice or noodles.

inochi
Posts: 42
Joined: Dec 14th, '06, 03:18

Post by inochi » Jan 28th, '07, 12:23

i've been hearing for a few years now that the salmonella concern mainly has to do with the eggshell (as in, the outside of the egg) and not so much the stuff in it

fuddleduddle
Posts: 54
Joined: Aug 14th, '05, 20:43
Location: Toronto
Been thanked: 1 time

Post by fuddleduddle » Feb 1st, '07, 05:20

salmonella would mainly be on the egg shell, because of course the egg is 'pooped' out from the chicken, and infection of salmonella is through the fecal oral route. so it is important to clean the surface of the egg shell, but in most cases, this has already been done for you by the manufacturers. but the shell, as thick as it is, can be porous especially as it ages, so bacteria can get in. but as long as it stays in the egg white portion, it won't be able to grow much because of the lack of nutrients and the fact you keep it refrigerated. it is important to eat your eggs before the expiry date because the egg white will thin, and the membrane of the yolk will weaken, allowing the bacteria into the nutrient rich yolk. only then will it start to proliferate exponentially and actually be some sort of a risk.

eating a regular store bought egg raw may contain salmonella, but at numbers like 100, it won't have any effect on your body. you would have to ingest several million.

inochi
Posts: 42
Joined: Dec 14th, '06, 03:18

Post by inochi » Feb 1st, '07, 08:31

fuddleduddle, thanks for the info. how did you come to be so knowledgeable on this subject?

fuddleduddle
Posts: 54
Joined: Aug 14th, '05, 20:43
Location: Toronto
Been thanked: 1 time

Post by fuddleduddle » Feb 2nd, '07, 00:06

i've taken courses on microbiology and food microbiology. glad i could help shed some light!

pokute
Fansubber
Fansubber
Posts: 1034
Joined: Apr 27th, '05, 22:15

Post by pokute » Feb 2nd, '07, 00:16

Woah. I didn't know the bacteria could get through the shell. I knew the shell was porous to gas molecules, but I didn't realise something as big as bacteria could pass through. The egg isn't exactly *pooped* out is it (I have no knowlege of bird anatomy, but it seems strange that the egg would pass through the anus... maybe it does...)? But I'm sure feces gets all over it once it's out.

Spike23
Posts: 295
Joined: Aug 9th, '04, 16:21
Location: LAND OF CARROTS

Post by Spike23 » Feb 2nd, '07, 00:25

I never ear a raw egg anymore =) after i heard about this =D , better safe than sorry,. :salut:

taro
Posts: 107
Joined: Aug 1st, '05, 23:20
Location: Hawaii

Post by taro » Feb 2nd, '07, 00:25

Isn't it recommended NOT to wash your eggs as they are washed & surface treated at processing facilities and that washing at home removes the treatment? You can wash just before use, but unless I remember wrong it's not recommended to wash before storage.

fuddleduddle
Posts: 54
Joined: Aug 14th, '05, 20:43
Location: Toronto
Been thanked: 1 time

Post by fuddleduddle » Feb 2nd, '07, 03:43

yes, like i said, cleaning it is important, but the manufacturers do it for you, surface treating it afterwards with mineral oil, so there isn't much point in washing it before storage. Most people don't even wash it anyways before use because the risks are so low. however, eggs from a farmers market should definitely be washed prior to cooking.

yes the chicken does essentially poop it out, since the reproductive tract and the GI tract have a common opening. but when the egg comes down the reproductive tract, it will extend past the walls of the intestinal tract so when it comes out, it virtually does not touch it. so you can say it comes out sterile. but usually it gets dirty from the ground. those pesky bacteria find their ways. but enough about the risks and hazards.

im chinese, but we share the same sort of similarities in enjoying raw egg. such as hot pot, which is very much like that other variation someone was mentioning earlier in the thread. we crack the raw egg in our bowl and combine with the food. like someone else mentioned, cracking a raw egg with rice is good too. we also have a dish i like to call egg snot on rice. essentially cooked egg, but incorporated into a sauce so that's it's runny. i guess we asians like runny stuff. i don't like runny noses, though. :]

im curious if koreans do the same.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest