“TKG Anywhere in Seconds!?” promises to taste like tamago kake gohan, so we put it to the test.

Raw egg on rice, known in Japan as “tamago kake gohan” or simply “TKG”, is one of the easiest and tastiest meals you can make, but taking it to work or packing it in a lunchbox can be innately difficult. Either you have to bring a raw egg with you, and hope to God that it doesn’t crack during the journey, or transport it premade, which runs the risk of having stools as runny as the yolk later on.

There is a product, though, which aims to make our dreams of enjoying TKG at work or outdoors a reality, and it’s officially called “TKG Anywhere in Seconds!? Sauce for Tamago Kake Style Rice”. Created by Don Quijote, the famous Japanese retail chain that’s like a one-stop shop for tourists, who can find everything from “Stinky but Tasty” tonkotsu ramen to Bare Feet of a Gorilla Slides in its maze-like aisles, this original product recreates the TKG experience with squeeze packs that can be stored at room temperature.

We were skeptical about whether something this small and simple could really deliver the TKG experience that we know and love, so we decided to buy a pack and put it to the test.

There are actually three components to TKG – rice, raw egg and soy sauce – and this pack comes with two compartments that combine soy sauce and egg sauce when squeezed together. With eight servings in every pack, these are compact little sauces that can easily be slipped into a lunchbox or pocket without taking up much space, making them easy to carry around.

We provided the bowl of rice, and then snapped one of the eight servings off the pack and began squeezing it over the piping hot grains.

▼ Easy to use, even with one hand.

So how close is it to real TKG? Well, after mixing it together, the appearance was surprisingly close to a proper bowl of tamago kake gohan.

Compared to the real thing, it was slightly less viscous, but the soy sauce sauce (it’s not just straight soy sauce) had a rich, slightly sweet flavour, adding an intense deliciousness to the mix.

▼ Don Quijote product on the left, real egg-on-rice on the right.

Though comparing them side-by-side really brought out the differences, these are far less noticeable when you whip up a bowl of TKG using the sauce packs alone. The egg sauce was also much richer than expected, creating a result that genuinely felt like TKG.

It was a product that exceeded all our expectations, and though it’s not a one-for-one exact replacement for freshly cracked raw egg on rice, it does a fantastic job of replicating the taste and texture of the real thing. Sure, if you’re at home, where eggs and soy sauce are easy enough to prepare, you probably won’t be reaching for one of these, but for situations where taking a raw egg with you isn’t practical, like going to work or when you have outdoor plans, this is a product that helps make the impossible possible.

Another surprise is that the packs can be used to create tamago kake udon. This revelation is printed on the outer packaging as a suggested recipe, and it’s just as easy to make as TKG.

Simply mix the sauce with a serving of udon, then top it all with chopped spring onions and bonito flakes for a surprisingly flavourful dish, without the need for a noodle soup base.

When combined with udon noodles, the slightly sweet and rich flavour is delicious, and it makes the TKG sauce packs actually useful in a home kitchen, as it lets you quickly and easily dress up a bowl of noodles.

Whether you use it for rice or udon, or perhaps even on toast for a decadent take on runny egg, this is a product that’s definitely worth trying so keep an eye out for it next time you’re navigating the aisles at Don Quijote.

Photos ©SoraNews24
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