Soft Boiled Egg 半熟卵

半熟卵が好きな国民はなにも日本だけではない。シンガポールの朝食に欠かせないないのはこの半熟卵。これを混ぜて、醤油と白胡椒をふりかけて、カヤトーストと食べるのが朝の幸せ。ポーチドエッグとは、別の食感と味わいがある。色々なところでこれをオーダーするが、とにかく美しく仕上げるのが、チャイナストリート(China St.)のFar East SquareにあるYa Kun Kaya Toastだ（写真上）。最終的にぐちゃぐちゃに混ぜてしまうのものだが、技を感じる（写真下）。それもそのはず、このお店は元祖で、他のフランチャイズのお店とは違うのだ。西洋のポーチドエッグも好きだが、食感の違うソフトボイルドエッグも最高だ。濃厚な鴨の卵で試してみたくなる。

Japan and Singapore have something in common when it comes to eggs. We love soft boiled eggs! Called Onsen Tamago in Japanese -literally meaning hot spring bath egg because originally eggs were boiled in hot spring bath and it was an ideal temperature to poach the egg in their shells (around 65℃). I would say that texture-wise, Singapore one is a little softer than onsen tamago. We also eat the soft boiled egg with dashi or we top them on top of lot of things -Japanese curry, yakisoba, donburi's, etc. It's actually one of my favorite breakfast when I am in Singapore (yes, i know I can make this at home but the experience is different), yet together with kaya toast and rich kopi, it is marriage made in heaven. Ya Kun Kaya Toast at Far East Square makes one the most beautiful soft boiled eggs in Singapore -just look at it! Though you end up mixing them all up... I'd love to have this using duck egg one of these days...