In the film One-Hundred Foot Journey, Helen Mirren’s character, Madame Mallory, auditions future hires by asking them to make a simple omelette.

In her mind, if you could create the perfect, soft scrambled specimen, you were worthy of joining the team of her fictitious two-starred Michelin restaurant. I have to say, making the ethereal French-style omelettes first thing in the morning is intimidating, even for someone that has had French culinary training. Plus, this Japanese omelette has the benefit of containing less dairy than its French cousin as the egg mixture is thinned out with mirin and dashi to form the batter.

My husband and I have come to love the rolled omelettes of the Japanese variety, known as tamagoyaki. This crepe-like omelette has multiple layers of soft egg that is rolled into itself to form a tasty, dense egg cake. The center of the rolled omelette stay soft while the outside it barley held together. Tamagoyaki is a key component to a multi-dish Japanese breakfast often served with natto (fermented soybeans), miso soup, and a filet of grilled fish. The key to making the rolled omelettes is a special non-stick rectangular pan from the Kansai region of Japan, like this one.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, divided, room temperature

• 6 eggs

• 1/4 cup dashi*

• 1 tablespoon mirin

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder

*You can use homemade or hondashi. Just be sure to follow the directions on the instant dashi powder. If neither are available, thin the egg batter with water instead.

Makes 2 Omelettes

Special Equipment

• Kansai-style tamagoyaki pan

• Wood chopsticks

Directions

1. Heat your tamagoyaki pan over medium heat. Once warm, add half a tablespoon of unsalted butter and spread it around the pan to coat evenly. You can remove the extra butter out of the pan by soaking it up with a paper towel. The more butter left in the pan, the easier it will be for the omelette to brown. You do not want any browning on your omelette.

2. Using your chopsticks, whisk the eggs together with the dashi and seasonings. The mixture should be pale yellow with no visible yolks.

3. Next, pour a couple of tablespoons of your egg mixture into the pan. Tilt the pan around so that the egg mixture coats the bottom evenly and return it to the heat. Once the first layer of the omelette has cooked, begin to fold the omelette towards your body using a rubber spatula. The egg should have formed a thin crepe-like layer that has a touch of creaminess on the top side.

4. Now that the first layer of the omelette has been rolled and gathered to one side of the pan, repeat the same process. Tilt the pan again so that the mixture is spread around the bottom of the pan - even underneath the first omelette layer.

5. Repeat this step for a third and final time before transferring to a clean plate. Rub a small knob of room temperature butter on the finished omelette and top with a sprinkle of kosher salt. Enjoy with a hot cup of tea!