Easy Egg Stir Fry

One day, when you open your fridge and find it almost empty, with just eggs and some basic seasonings left. Wow, that can be a magical and delicious dish too.

Let me teach you how to turn these humble ingredients into the most delicious scrambled eggs you’ve ever tasted.

In Chinese cuisine, I believe it belongs to Hunan cuisine, known as the “oil and vinegar egg” stir-fry. This is another dish that proves that sometimes the simplest ingredients can create the most amazing flavors, just like our Chinese cabbage stir-fry. It can be an ideal side dish or as a main course if you don’t want to introduce other meat in a meal.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 large eggs, serving for 1 or 2
• 3-4 tbsp. Cooking oil – we will need a large amount of oil
• 1 tbsp. black vinegar
• 3 Thai peppers, smashed and cut into sections
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 3 scallions
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
• Optional: chopped scallions for garnish

The Magic of Oil and Vinegar Balance

You may find that this recipe uses more oil than typical scrambled eggs do. Don’t worry, you won’t feel greasiness. The acid in the vinegar brightens the eggs, making them taste light and fluffy, rather than heavy or oily.

However, since it contains a lot of oil, to balance your meal, I suggest pairing it with some light and healthy soups or salads, such as Bok Choy and tofu soup or Chinese cucumber salad.

About the Vinegar

We need to use Chinese black vinegar (also known as Chinkiang vinegar/镇江香醋). Compared to white vinegar, it has a more complex, slightly sweeter, and malty flavor. If you don’t have Chinese black vinegar by hand, the best and closest substitute is Balsamic vinegar, although it is slightly sweeter. But honestly, it’s worth seeking out authentic Chinese black vinegar for this dish. Once you’ve tried it, you will fall in love with its flavor.

How to Make This Easy Savory Egg Stir-Fry.

Prepare the eggs
Crack eggs into a bowl. Don’t beat them.

Fry the egg to the perfect texture.
Place your wok or frying pan over high heat. Add cooking oil and heat until it starts to shimmer and smoke slightly – this takes about 30 seconds.

Pour the egg mixture into the center of the hot oil. You’ll hear a satisfying sizzle! Let it sit for just 2-3 seconds without touching it. Then turn over and separate each of them.

Step 4: Add in aromatics
Add garlic, chili pepper, and the white part of the scallion, and fry until aromatic.

Step 6: Season it
Drizzle with light soy sauce and a tiny pinch of salt. Then mix in scallions. Add black vinegar along the edges of your pan. Mix well and serve well. You can serve it as the main course of a meal with steamed rice or top with soup noodles or wonton soups.

Variations

This is a savory and slightly spicy version, as I use chili peppers and garlic. Another popular option is to use only ginger and scallion as aromatics. With that option, you can make a lovely, milder ginger and scallion version.