“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.
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