Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Scrambled Eggs with Char Siu and Yellow Chives
韮黃叉燒炒蛋
Recipe overview
Tender yellow chives, sweet char siu strips and soft scrambled eggs make a quick Hong Kong home dish. This version uses a generous amount of yellow chives: sear the char siu first, stir-fry the thicker stems before the tender tops, then add eggs last. Remove at about 90 percent set and let residual heat finish the eggs. Drain chives thoroughly to prevent wateriness.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 6 Eggs
- 180 g; trim tough roots, rinse quickly, drain dry, cut 4–5 cm; separate thicker pale stems from tender tops Yellow chives
- 180 g; cut into 4–5 cm thin strips Char siu
- 1, optional, finely sliced Scallion
- 2 tbsp Cooking oil
Egg mixture seasoning
- 2 tbsp Water (for tender eggs)
- 1 tsp Light soy sauce (for egg mixture)
- 1/2 tsp Sesame oil (for egg mixture)
- 1 pinch White pepper (for egg mixture)
Yellow-chive seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Light soy sauce (for chives)
- 1/4 tsp Sugar (to balance flavour)
02
Tools
- Wok or large skillet, wok spatula
- Wok or large skillet, wok spatula
- Wok or large skillet, wok spatula
- Knife, chopping board, colander
- Knife, chopping board, colander
- Knife, chopping board, colander
- Large egg bowl, small seasoning bowl, measuring spoons, serving plate
- Large egg bowl, small seasoning bowl, measuring spoons, serving plate
- Large egg bowl, small seasoning bowl, measuring spoons, serving plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Wash yellow chives
Trim tough ends and rinse quickly, checking roots for grit; do not soak.
Step 2
Drain and cut
Drain and pat dry if needed; cut 4–5 cm lengths and separate thick stems from tender tops.
Step 3
Slice char siu
Cut char siu into even 4–5 cm thin strips, not thick chunks or crumbs.
Step 4
Beat eggs
Beat 6 eggs until yolk and white combine; do not create much foam.
Step 5
Season egg mixture
Stir in water, soy sauce, sesame oil and white pepper until even.
Step 6
Preheat wok
Heat medium-high 45–60 seconds; add about 1/2 tbsp oil and swirl without smoking.
Step 7
Sear char siu
Stir-fry strips 1–1.5 minutes until hot with lightly browned edges; remove before dry.
Step 8
Stir-fry chive stems
Add about 1/2 tbsp oil and stir-fry thick pale stems 20–30 seconds until just softened.
Step 9
Add tender chives
Add tender yellow chives and chive seasoning; toss 30–45 seconds until bright and just soft, not watery.
Step 10
Return char siu
Return char siu, toss 20–30 seconds and spread ingredients lightly.
Step 11
Pour and gently scramble eggs
Use medium heat; pour eggs between chives and char siu. Wait 10–15 seconds, then gently push from edge inward; do not rapidly stir.
Step 12
Finish and plate
When about 90 percent set with a moist sheen, turn off heat, gently push 10–15 seconds and plate.
Common mistakes
- Wet chives release water; drain and pat dry.
- Long-cooked tender chives turn soft and watery; cook stems first.
- Over-seared char siu turns hard; heat only briefly.
- Rapid stirring makes small dry egg pieces; push gently after setting starts.
- Waiting until eggs are dry overcooks them; stop at 90 percent set.
- Do not add lots of salt because char siu and soy sauce are salty.
Tips
Choose pale-yellow tender yellow chives, not a large amount of green garlic chives. Keep chives dry; char siu is already cooked. Use medium heat and keep larger soft egg curds. Refrigerate egg leftovers promptly.
