RECIPE: Learn to make your own mayo
“Hey Ma, can you get some Japanese mayo today?” my daughter recently requested. She wanted to make a recipe from TikTok after school, and Kewpie mayo was the only ingredient we didn’t have. She was not alone; three separate markets were sold out of the condiment.
Now, I keep a jar of Duke’s on hand at all times. But when I really want to impress, I spend five minutes whipping an egg, garlic, oil and vinegar into homemade mayo. I was curious. What makes Japanese mayonnaise special, and could I create a substitute using ingredients I already had?
The fundamental difference between Japanese mayonnaise recipes and my own is that Japanese mayonnaise is made from egg yolks, not the whole egg. This creates a gloriously rich texture and striking gold color. While a mild vinegar appears in both mayos, Japanese recipes temper the tanginess with pinches of sugar. Umami notes are traditionally added with dashi powder or MSG; my “on hand ingredients” challenge meant adding Worcestershire sauce instead.
A dozen experimental eggs later, I personally prefer the decadent all-yolk recipe with extra vinegar unrestrained by sweetness. As for my girl, she decided to order pizza (and watch more cooking videos) instead of cooking. But when she’s ready, so is our new favorite mayo.
- 1 large fresh or pasteurized egg
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
- Pinch salt
- Pinch freshly ground white pepper
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Crack egg into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S-blade. Add garlic. Pulse 5 times.
- With food processor running, very slowly dribble oil through chute.
- Add vinegar, salt and pepper and pulse until combined. Taste, adding up to 2 additional teaspoons vinegar if desired.
- Mayonnaise will keep in a refrigerated airtight container up to 4 days. Makes 1 cup.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per 1 tablespoon: 124 calories (percent of calories from fat, 99), trace protein, trace carbohydrates, trace fiber, 14 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 12 milligrams cholesterol, 13 milligrams sodium.- 4 yolks from large fresh or pasteurized eggs
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Pinch salt
- Pinch freshly ground white pepper
- Pinch granulated sugar (optional)
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Pour yolks into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S-blade. Add garlic. Pulse 5 times.
- With processor running, very slowly dribble oil through chute.
- Add vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and pulse until combined. Taste, adding up to 2 additional teaspoons vinegar and sugar, if desired.
- Mayonnaise will keep in a refrigerated, airtight container, up to 4 days. Makes 1 cup.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per 1 tablespoon serving without sugar: 134 calories (percent of calories from fat, 97), 1 gram protein, trace carbohydrates, trace fiber, 15 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 46 milligrams cholesterol, 16 milligrams sodium.Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.
