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Si gua chao dan
Luffa and egg stir-fry
Si gua chao dan: soft luffa and fluffy egg stir-fried in a light ginger juice
Si gua chao dan is a southern Chinese summer staple, cooked in Guangdong, Fujian and Guangxi homes on hot evenings when something light is wanted with rice. Angled luffa softens into silky, faintly sweet pieces and releases its own juice, which the scrambled egg soaks up. The common mistake is leaving the ridges on: peel the hard ridges of angled luffa (or all the skin of smooth luffa), or they stay tough and bitter. Chef's tip: scramble the egg first and lift it out while still a little soft, then return it at the end so it stays fluffy instead of rubbery.
- Total time
- 14 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb luffa (si gua)1 large, ridges peeled, cut into 1 cm angled chunks
- 3 eggs
- ¾ tsp salt
- ⅓ oz gingercut into fine slivers
- 1 garlic clovesliced
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Beat 3 eggs with 0.2 tsp salt and 1 pinch ground white pepper.
1 minStep 2: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a medium-high heat, pour in the eggs and push them gently for about 1 minute, until large soft curds form. Tip onto a plate.
1 minStep 3: Add the rest of 1 tbsp vegetable oil with ⅓ oz ginger and 1 garlic clove and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
1 minStep 4: Add 1 ⅛ lb luffa (si gua) and the rest of 0.6 tsp salt and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes, until the pieces turn translucent and soft and have released a pale juice. Splash in 2 tbsp water if the pan looks dry.
5 minStep 5: Return the eggs, stir for 30 seconds until they are hot and fully set with no runny egg left, and serve with rice and the juices.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does si gua chao dan take?
- About 14 minutes in total: 6 minutes to prepare and 8 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.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- 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 garlic clove?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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