Korean Banchan: Mayak Quail Eggs

This is a mayak-style marinade, but with quail eggs instead! The original version is made with soft-boiled eggs with jammy yolks — but my kids weirdly prefer quail eggs (anyone else?). If you’d rather stick to the classic mayak gyeran, just swap in 4 soft-boiled eggs instead!

Here’s how I do it!

Ingredients

1 can quail eggs (peeled and drained)

1/2 onion, diced

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp vinegar

1 red chilli (optional for spice), diced

Method

1. Prep the eggs

• Drain the canned quail eggs and give them a quick rinse. Set aside.

2. Make the marinade

• In a bowl or container, mix together the soy sauce, water, sugar, minced garlic, vinegar, and diced onion. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

3. Combine

• Add the quail eggs to the marinade and gently mix to coat evenly.

4. Marinate

• Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours — ideally 2 days — to let the eggs absorb all the flavours.

5. Serve

• Enjoy chilled or at room temperature with rice or as a savoury snack!

Sweet, salty, tangy, and totally addictive — these mayak-style quail eggs are now a staple in our fridge. Perfect with rice or just as a quick snack. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!