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Otah Scotch Eggs

Crunchy on the outside, richly savoury with otah, and soft-centred within.
Course: Appetizer
Servings: 4
Author: Sllowcook 漫慢厨房

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs or 6 quail eggs see notes
  • 2 pc chunky fish otah, thawed approx. 360gm
  • 1 egg for coating
  • 1 tbsp water
  • plain flour for coating
  • breadcrumbs (panko) for coating
  • oil for deep frying see notes

Instructions

Cook the eggs

  • Add water to a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a rolling boil.
  • Gently lower in the eggs and stir slowly with a tablespoon for the first few minutes. This helps centre the yolks.
  • Eggs: cook for 6 minutes
    Quail eggs: cook for 2 minutes
  • Transfer immediately into an ice bath and chill for at least 5 minutes.
  • Carefully crack, peel, and set aside.

Wrap with otah

  • Spread the thawed otah into a flat round layer on a sheet of plastic wrap.
  • Regular eggs: use 1 portion of otah per egg
    Quail eggs: divide otah into 3 portions
  • Lightly dust each peeled egg with flour. Place in the centre of the otah and wrap the mixture around the egg.
  • Gently toss the wrapped egg from one hand to the other 8–10 times to release trapped air and help shape it evenly.
  • Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.

Coat and Fry

  • Crack 1 egg into a bowl, add 1 tablespoon water, and whisk until smooth.
  • Prepare two trays:
    one with plain flour
    one with panko breadcrumbs
  • Remove the chilled otah eggs from the fridge and reshape if needed.
  • Coat each one in flour, dip into egg wash, then roll in panko.
  • For a thicker crust, repeat the egg wash and panko coating once more.
  • Heat oil to 170°C, ensuring it covers at least three-quarters of each egg.
  • Deep-fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy.
  • Cut in half and serve immediately while hot.

Notes

  1. Eggs used here weigh approximately 63g each.
  2. The cooking times listed are based on room-temperature eggs and are designed to give jammy yolks. If using chilled eggs straight from the fridge, allow an additional 30 seconds of cooking time. For hard-boiled yolks, cook longer to your preference.
  3. Otah: No specific brand required — use your favourite chunky fish otah.
  4. Double-coating with panko gives a crunchier crust.
  5. I used bubu arare (ぶぶあられ) to add colour and crunch. These tiny multi-coloured rice crackers are commonly used in Kyoto-style cuisine.
  6. Oil for deep frying: For best results, use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as peanut, canola, sunflower, or rice bran oil.