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Not the Mayak Eggs, But Ganjang Gyeran-Jang

Although this delicious soy sauce-based brine can certainly be used to make the once-viral Mayak Eggs, I prefer the eggs for this particular banchan fully cooked rather than jammy. Partly out of familiarity from childhood and partly for food safety, fully cooked eggs keep longer in the refrigerator. Typically, jammy-yolk eggs are good for two to three days, while fully cooked eggs are safe for four to five days.


INGREDIENTS
six eggs
three celery sticks, cut in thirds
[for the soy sauce-based brine]
five Thai chilies, sliced
four garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
two green onions, finely chopped
a half cup of soy sauce
one and a half tablespoons of sugar
a tablespoon of sesame oil
three-quarters of a teaspoon of honey

For perfectly boiled eggs, place the eggs in a pot with plenty of room at the bottom. Do not stack the eggs. Add enough room-temperature water to submerge the eggs and a handful of salt to clog leakage in case shells crack.

All ceramic bowls were wheel-thrown and glazed by me.

Bring the water to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for 12 minutes. Drain the water and place the eggs under cold running water for two to three minutes. Let the eggs cool while you prepare the brine.

Mix all the ingredients for the brine with a half cup of water and set it aside. Once the eggs are cool enough to touch, peel the shells and place the eggs and celery sticks in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or 24 hours for the best flavor, before serving.

Don't discard the celery sticks. They absorb the brine beautifully and are delicious alongside the eggs.

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