Name: Mayak Eggs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 6 h 16 min
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 6 large eggs; 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1/2 cup water; 1/4 cup sugar; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons sesame oil; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 2 green onions, thinly sliced; 1 small chili pepper, thinly sliced (optional, for heat); 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Why You’ll Love Mayak Eggs Recipe

You’ll get eggs with jammy yolks and richly seasoned whites — a perfect contrast of textures.
The marinade is simple yet deeply flavorful: soy sauce, a touch of balsamic vinegar for acidity, scallions and chiles for a bit of heat and freshness.
It’s versatile: serve it over rice, on toast, as part of a snack box or as a banchan (small side dish) — and it holds in the fridge for days, so you can make ahead.
It’s visually appealing — those glossy marinated eggs look gourmet but without needing advanced technique.

Ingredients

(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
fine salt (for boiling)
large eggs, at room temperature
low‑sodium soy sauce
water
aged soy sauce (or dark soy sauce / hoisin as substitute)
balsamic vinegar
granulated sugar
scallions (white and light green parts)
chiles of your choice, chopped
toasted sesame seeds (optional)
minced garlic (optional)

Directions

Gather the ingredients. Ensure your eggs are at room temperature.
Add enough water to a medium pot to fully submerge the eggs. Add the fine salt.
Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. When the water is at a rapid boil, turn down the heat to low. Use a ladle to place one egg at a time into the pot.
Once all eggs are in the pot, bring the heat back up to high. Set the timer to 6 minutes 30 seconds. During the first 3 minutes, gently flip and roll the eggs occasionally so the yolks set in the center.
While the eggs are boiling, prepare the marinade: in a jar or container add soy sauce, water, aged soy sauce (or substitute), balsamic vinegar, sugar, scallions, chiles, sesame seeds, and garlic (if using). Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
When the eggs are done cooking, pour off as much hot water as you can, then put the eggs (still in the pot) under cold running tap water to cool them rapidly.
Peel the eggs and add them directly to the marinade container. Ensure the eggs are fully covered by the marinade.
Cover and place the container in the fridge for at least 6 hours. For best flavor, leave overnight or up to a day.
To serve: slice one or two eggs in half and serve over warm white rice (or your preferred base). Drizzle some of the marinade over the top. Store any leftover eggs submerged in the marinade and consume within a week.

Servings and timing

Yield: 8 eggs
Servings: 4 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Marination time: 6 hours (or overnight for best flavor)
Total time: about 6 hours 40 minutes

Variations

Swap chile type: Use milder chiles like jalapeños or banana peppers for less heat, or Thai chiles for more kick.
Substitute aged soy sauce with dark soy sauce or hoisin if you can’t get aged soy.
Change the base: Try the eggs on avocado toast, in a salad, or as an egg-salad sandwich filler.
Adjust sweetness/acidity: Increase or decrease the balsamic vinegar to tweak the balance of tang and sweetness.

Storage/Reheating

Storage: Store eggs in an airtight container fully submerged in the marinade. They’ll stay fresh in the fridge for up to one week.
Reheating: Best served cold or at room temperature. If serving with warm dishes, such as rice, warm the rice separately and place the cold eggs on top.
Flavor note: The taste intensifies the longer they marinate — often better the next day.

FAQs

1. Can I use hard‑boiled eggs instead of soft‑boiled?

Yes, though the signature of Mayak Eggs is their jammy yolk. Hard-boiled eggs lose that creamy texture.

2. How long should I marinate the eggs?

At least 6 hours, but overnight (up to 24 hours) will yield deeper flavor.

3. Can I omit the balsamic vinegar?

Yes, but it’s recommended. It adds tang and balances sweetness. You can sub with rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

4. What’s the best way to serve Mayak Eggs?

Slice and serve over rice with marinade, or use on toast, in salads, or sandwiches.

5. Are the eggs spicy?

They can be. It depends on the chiles used. Use mild peppers for less heat or spicy ones for more kick.

6. Can I halve the recipe?

Absolutely. You can scale down the egg count and adjust the marinade accordingly.

7. What if I don’t have aged soy sauce?

Use dark soy sauce or hoisin as a substitute. The flavor will differ slightly but still work well.

8. Can I freeze Mayak Eggs?

No, freezing is not recommended as it alters the egg texture.

9. Will they get too salty?

Using low-sodium soy sauce helps balance flavor. If you’re sensitive to salt, dilute the soy sauce with more water.

10. Can I reuse the marinade?

Yes. It can be used in stir-fries or saved for a second batch of eggs — just make sure it was stored safely.

Conclusion

Mayak Eggs are the kind of simple yet crave-worthy dish that delivers both comfort and culinary flair. With a perfectly jammy yolk and a deeply flavorful marinade, they’re adaptable, make-ahead friendly, and sure to disappear fast. Whether served with rice or reinvented into something new, they earn their nickname for being addictively delicious.