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Bánh mì ốp la (Vietnamese fried eggs with baguette)
Eggs fried in a small pan and eaten straight from it with a crusty roll
All over Saigon and Hanoi, street stalls serve bánh mì ốp la for breakfast: two or three eggs fried in a little iron pan, brought to the table sizzling, with a split baguette for scooping and a splash of dark seasoning sauce on top. The whites go lacy and crisp at the edges while the yolks stay soft, and the cucumber and chilli on the side keep it fresh. The usual mistake is frying the eggs on a fierce heat until the bottoms burn before the whites on top have set; a medium heat and a lid fix that. For pregnant people, young children, older or vulnerable people, cook the yolks until fully set. Chef's tip: warm the baguette in a hot oven for 3 minutes first so the crust shatters the way it does at the stall.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 2 Vietnamese-style baguettes or short crusty rollslight, airy rolls
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 shallot (optional)thinly sliced
- 4 eggslarge; yolks fully set for pregnant people, young children, older or vulnerable people
- 2 tsp liquid seasoning sauce or light soy saucethe dark, savoury kind sold for eggs
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
To serve
- ½ cucumbersliced into sticks
- 1 red chilli (optional)sliced
- 4 coriander sprigs (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 400°F and warm 2 Vietnamese-style baguettes or short crusty rolls for 3–4 minutes, until the crust crackles when pressed.
4 minStep 2: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add 1 shallot if using and fry for 1 minute, until just golden.
1 minStep 3: Crack in 4 eggs. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the edges are lacy and golden and the whites have set halfway up. Cover with a lid for the last 30 seconds so the top of the whites turns opaque; keep the lid on 2 minutes longer if you want firm yolks.
3 minStep 4: Take the pan off the heat, drizzle over 2 tsp liquid seasoning sauce or light soy sauce and sprinkle with ¼ tsp ground black pepper.
Step 5: Bring the pan to the table with the bread, ½ cucumber, 1 red chilli and 4 coriander sprigs. Tear the bread and use it to mop up the yolks and seasoning.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bánh mì ốp la (Vietnamese fried eggs with baguette) take?
- About 10 minutes in total: 3 minutes to prepare and 7 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of liquid seasoning sauce or light soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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