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Lajiao chao jidan (green chilli and egg)
Làjiāo chǎo jīdàn (辣椒炒鸡蛋): Hunan stir-fry of blistered green chillies and scrambled egg
Hunan home cooks in Changsha make this in ten minutes when there is nothing but eggs and long green chillies in the kitchen, and it is a standard dish at lunchbox shops: the chillies are dry-fried until blistered and smoky, then tossed with big soft curds of egg and a splash of soy. It is hot, so choose mild long chillies or green peppers if you prefer. The mistake is cooking the eggs with the chillies from the start, which makes them tough and grey; scramble them separately and combine at the end. Chef's tip: press the chillies against the hot dry wok with a spatula until they wrinkle and char in spots before any oil goes in. Contains egg and soya.
- Total time
- 13 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 4 eggsbeaten with a pinch of salt
- 5 ½ oz long green chillies (or 1 green pepper)sliced into rings
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 cloves garlicsliced
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- ¼ tsp salt
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Heat a wok over a medium-high heat with no oil. Add 5 ½ oz long green chillies (or 1 green pepper) and press and toss for 3 minutes until blistered and wrinkled in spots. Tip onto a plate.
3 minStep 2: Add 1 tbsp sunflower oil to the wok, pour in 4 eggs and stir gently for about 1 minute into large curds that are just set and no longer runny. Tip out.
1 minStep 3: Add the remaining 1 tbsp sunflower oil, fry 2 cloves garlic for 20 seconds, then return the chillies with ¼ tsp salt and stir for 1 minute.
1 minStep 4: Return the eggs, add 2 tsp light soy sauce and toss for 30 seconds, until the egg is fully set. Serve with rice; for a lunch box, cool quickly, chill and reheat until piping hot.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lajiao chao jidan (green chilli and egg) take?
- About 13 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 8 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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