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Fujian oyster omelette
蚵仔煎 kēzǎi jiān / Hokkien ô-á-chian: Xiamen oysters in a chewy egg and starch omelette
Along Zhongshan Road and the night markets of Xiamen, cooks fry this on wide griddles all evening, one portion after another. Small fresh oysters are scattered into a batter of sweet potato starch and water, which sets clear and chewy, then eggs are swirled over the top so it ends up crisp at the edges and soft and gooey in the middle. It is salty from the sea, eggy and pleasantly sticky, with a squeeze of sweet chilli sauce to balance it. Eat it hot from the pan as a snack or with rice porridge for a light supper. Chef's tip: stir the batter just before pouring it in; the starch sinks to the bottom within seconds.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the omelette
- 7 oz fresh shucked oysterssmall ones, about 12–16
- 2 ⅛ oz sweet potato starchplus 1 tbsp for cleaning the oysters
- ½ cup water
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 spring onionsfinely sliced
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
To serve
- 4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 1 handful lettuce or garland chrysanthemum leaves (optional)
- 1 handful fresh coriander (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Buy oysters from a trusted fishmonger and keep them in the fridge until the last minute. Toss 7 oz fresh shucked oysters gently with 1 tbsp of the starch and a pinch of the salt, then rinse in cold water; the grit comes away with the starch. Drain well and pat dry.
Step 2: Whisk 2 ⅛ oz sweet potato starch, ½ cup water, ¼ tsp salt and half the 1 spring onions into a thin batter. Beat 3 eggs with 1 tsp fish sauce and ¼ tsp ground white pepper in another bowl.
Step 3: Heat 3 tbsp neutral oil in a large non-stick or cast-iron frying pan over a medium-high heat until shimmering. Stir the batter well and pour it in, tilting the pan to spread it.
1 minStep 4: Cook for about 1 minute, until the batter starts to turn from white to translucent at the edges. Scatter the oysters over evenly.
1 minStep 5: Pour the beaten egg over and around the oysters. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the underside is golden and crisp at the edges.
3 minStep 6: Cut into halves with a spatula, flip each piece and cook for 2 minutes more. The oysters must be cooked right through: plump, opaque and curled at the edges. A common mistake is adding the oysters before the batter has begun to set; they sink, release water and the omelette never crisps.
2 minStep 7: Slide onto a plate on a bed of lettuce if using, scatter with the rest of 1 spring onions and coriander, and spoon 4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce over the top. Serve straight away.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fujian oyster omelette take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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