China · Hunan
Golden Coin Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs sliced into quarters, fried until the cut faces take colour, then tossed with chili, garlic and broad bean paste. A Hunan dish whose coin shape is meant to be read as good fortune.
Slicing a boiled egg into four makes each piece the size and shape of an old copper cash coin, which is where the name and the wish for luck come from. Hunan cooks brown the cut face hard in oil before the seasonings go in, which is what gives the dish its blistered look. Centuries-old preserved eggs are the usual companion at the same table, since the two textures were once paired as a course.
Ingredients
- eggs5 pieces
- cornstarch40 g
- cooking oil5 ml
- long green chilies15 g
- bird's eye chilies5 g
- broad bean paste15 ml
- garlic10 g
- scallion3 g
- light soy sauce15 ml
- oyster sauce15 ml
- sugar5 g
Directions
- 1
Put the eggs in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil over high heat then simmer for 8 minutes.
- 2
Rinse them under the tap to cool, which makes peeling easier.
- 3
Chop the garlic to no larger than 1 mm, and dice the long green chilies and bird's eye chilies to about 2 to 3 mm.
- 4
Cut each boiled egg into 4 similar pieces across its short axis.
- 5
If you are coating them, dust each slice with cornstarch and shake off the excess.
- 6
Put 25 ml of oil in the wok, or 20 ml without the coating, and add the egg slices.
- 7
Once they are lightly browned, add 10 ml of oil, or the same either way, and flip them.
- 8
When the second side is lightly golden, add the chilies and minced garlic and fry for about a minute, then flip.
- 9
Next add the broad bean paste and fry for a few seconds, then flip again.
- 10
Mix the light soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar into a sauce, toss the wok gently and serve.
Source: HowToCook · WorldBite adaptation · Unlicense source text; bilingual recipe adapted by WorldBite.