There are three very commonly used Japanese egg recipes. One is _tamagoyaki_ or atsuyaki tamago_ (and its variant, _dashimaki tamago), a rolled omelette. Another is _usuyaki tamago_, a very thin omelette which is used as a wrapper or shredded and used as a topping. Ther third is iri tamago, finely scrambled eggs that are used quite a lot as a topping. It's here because it's such a handy ingredient for bento. If you think you need a bit of color and protein, there's no faster egg dish you can make.

Iri tamago

• 2 'large' eggs
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. mirin
• pinch salt

Equipment needed: a saucepan, non-stick preferred, two pairs of uncoated wooden chopsticks

Beat together the eggs and other ingredients.

Heat up your pan (it should have fairly high sides so don't use a frying pan.) Pour in the egg. Hold 3 or 4 chopsticks together, and star mixing vigorously.

As the egg cooks, it will start to turn grainy. Continue mixing.

And continue mixing. The faster and wider you can mix the finer the grains will be.

When it's just about done it will be very grainy. Take off the heat and continue mixing as it cools, to get fine grains.

Don't try to make more than 2 egg's worth at a time. You want the egg mixture to spread quite thinly over the surface of the pan so you don't want too much in there.

This will last for a couple of days in the refrigerator. Sprinkle on top of your rice, or in fried rice, on top of vegetables, etc.