Chinese Chives & Eggs Stir fry is a very simple, homey dish that you just don’t see in restaurants, and it’s so basic that anyone can make it. But it can also vary wildly from person to person.
Stir-frying Eggs Properly
When it comes to eggs, some like them runny and some like them cooked fully through. Oddly enough, I belong to the latter party. But when it comes to stir-fried eggs, consistency is everything. It’s also a good time to point out that this is not a breakfast item, but a dish for lunch or dinner to eat with rice.
Almost always, stir-fried eggs should be smooth and silky. Please remember the following four important factors to achieve that ultimate feathery texture:
- Oil helps to keep the eggs away from the hot searing metal of the wok, preventing them from getting overcooked.
- You must use medium to medium low heat––just enough heat to solidify the eggs.
- A little bit of sugar and water help keep the eggs fluffy when cooking.
- The technique is to stir and flip the egg mixture slowly. Once you see a thin bottom layer of egg starting to solidify, don’t wait too long to stir, or you’ll give the eggs a chance to harden and brown (which is what you don’t want)
How to achieve the fluffiest eggs: Cornstarch
Since we originally published this recipe in July 2017 we’ve done quite a bit more tinkering with cooking eggs (see Kaitlin’s Shrimp with Eggs stir fry where the shrimp are perfectly cooked and the eggs are super silky and fluffy!)
The trick is adding a cornstarch slurry to the eggs. All you need is 1 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water for approximately every 4 eggs. (In this recipe we call for 5 eggs, so you can do a slightly heaped teaspoon or measure out 1 1/4 teaspoons.)
This trick has been the key to getting reliably perfect eggs every time. Any time we are scrambling eggs, regardless of what we’re adding into it, we add in the cornstarch slurry.
A Quick & Easy Dinner
Summer is a time for quick and easy dishes and this Chinese Chives & Eggs Stir Fry definitely fits the bill. Not to mention that I have loads of Chinese chives (also known as garlic chives) in my garden.
Chinese chives/garlic chives are a perennial. Once you put the seeds down in a pot or in your garden, they’ll grow like weeds. I cut them often and fertilize as well to help them grow thicker. The best part is, they come back year after year with no heavy lifting on your part.
If you’re looking for another quick stir-fried egg dish, check out our Shrimp with Eggs recipe. The cooking technique is largely the same. Remember, the texture you’re looking for is smooth and silky. You can do it!
Chinese Chives & Eggs: Recipe Instructions
Crack the eggs into a large bowl, and add the sugar, salt, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, sesame oil and water.
Beat the eggs for a good 30 seconds until you see a layer of small bubbles floating on the surface of the beaten eggs. Mix in the Chinese chives/garlic chives until combined. Now you are ready to cook.
Heat a wok until it just starts to smoke, and then turn the heat down to medium low. Wait 10 seconds, and then add the oil. Coat the wok with oil using your spatula to swirl it around. The oil should be hot but not smoking when you add the egg mixture.
Once you pour the eggs into the wok…
Flip and stir them slowly with a spatula, being careful not to let the eggs brown or firm up too much.
Once the eggs are just cooked, they’re ready. Serve this Chinese chives & egg stir fry with rice!
You’ll enjoy the silky eggs and the sweet and flavorful chives in this Chinese chives & eggs dish!
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Recipe
Chinese Chives & Eggs Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 4 teaspoons water
- 2 cups Chinese chives/garlic chives (chopped)
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl, and add the sugar, salt, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, sesame oil and water. Beat the eggs for a good 30 seconds until you see a layer of small bubbles floating on the surface of the beaten eggs. Make the cornstarch slurry by dissolving the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of water. Add the cornstarch slurry and mix in the chives until combined. Now you are ready to cook.
- Heat a wok until it just starts to smoke, and then turn the heat down to medium low. Wait 10 seconds, and then add the oil. Coat the wok with oil using your spatula to swirl it around. The oil should be hot but not smoking when you add the egg mixture.
- Once you pour the eggs into the wok, flip and stir them slowly with a spatula, being careful not to let the eggs brown or firm up too much. Once the eggs are just cooked, they’re ready. Serve!
Nutrition Facts
