Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Scrambled Eggs with Char Siu
叉燒炒蛋
Recipe overview
Scrambled Eggs with Char Siu is a quick and common Hong Kong home-style dish. It is simple to cook, with a sweet and savoury flavour that goes very well with rice. You can use char siu bought from a roast meat shop or leftover char siu from the fridge. New helpers should remember that char siu already has flavour, so the seasoning should not be too heavy. Do not overcook the eggs; keeping them soft and tender makes the dish taste better.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 150g char siu
- 5 eggs
- 1 spring onion, optional
- 1.5 tablespoons cooking oil
Seasoning
- A little salt
- 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce, optional
- 1 tablespoon water
- A little white pepper, optional
02
Tools
- 1 chopping board
- 1 kitchen knife
- 1 large bowl
- 1-2 small bowls
- 1 frying pan or nonstick wok
- 1 spatula
- 1 pair of chopsticks or 1 fork
- 1 pair of chopsticks or 1 fork
- 1 white round serving plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Prepare the Ingredients
Prepare the char siu, eggs, spring onion and seasoning first. This dish cooks quickly, so prepare everything before starting.
Step 2
Cut Char Siu
Cut the char siu into thin slices or small cubes. Keep the pieces even so they are easier to eat after cooking.
Step 3
Chop Spring Onion
If using spring onion, wash it clean and chop it into small pieces for later use.
Step 4
Crack Eggs
Crack the eggs into a large bowl and mix them with chopsticks or a fork.
Step 5
Season the Eggs
Add a little salt, water and white pepper to the eggs, then mix gently. Water helps make the scrambled eggs softer.
Step 6
Heat the Pan
Turn on medium heat. When the pan is hot, add cooking oil and spread it evenly.
Step 7
Fry Char Siu First
Add the char siu and fry quickly for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Char siu is already cooked, so do not fry it too long.
Step 8
Add the Eggs
Pour the beaten eggs into the pan and let the eggs cover the char siu.
Step 9
Push the Eggs Gently
Use the spatula to slowly push the eggs from the edge toward the centre. Do not stir too strongly.
Step 10
Add Spring Onion
When the eggs begin to set, add the spring onion and mix gently.
Step 11
Control Doneness
When the eggs are just set but still soft and tender, turn off the heat. Do not cook until too dry.
Step 12
Serve
Serve the scrambled eggs with char siu on a plate while hot. It goes well with rice or congee.
Common mistakes
- The char siu is fried too long and becomes dry and tough.
- The eggs are cooked too long and become old and dry.
- Too much seasoning is added, even though char siu is already sweet and savoury.
- The heat is too high, so the eggs burn or become hard quickly.
- Stirring too strongly breaks the eggs into very small pieces.
- The eggs are served before they are cooked enough and taste too raw.
Tips
The most important point for this dish is heat control. Char siu only needs to be heated and fried briefly; it does not need long cooking. Push the eggs slowly over medium heat and serve when they are just cooked. When cooking this for your employer’s family for the first time, do not add too much salt or soy sauce because char siu already has flavour. Before serving, you may ask Ma’am or Sir to taste it.
