Oyster omelettes are a popular Asian street food made with oysters, eggs, starch, and vegetables. Variations include different starches, vegetables, and optional ingredients like garlic and spices. They are often served with sweet or savory sauces and can be made with fresh or frozen oysters. Vendors crack eggs directly onto the griddle while home cooks often scramble or beat them first. Fresh oysters should be carefully checked before shucking.
An oyster omelette is a type of Asian omelet made with oysters and eggs. A staple of Asian street food, oyster omelettes are sold by vendors throughout China and Taiwan. Made with chicken or duck eggs, a starch is normally used as a binding element. Greens usually complement this dish.
While the main ingredients are relatively consistent, versions of this dish still vary widely. Fresh or frozen oysters are always used, as are roe. The starch, added to help bind the ingredients, is often sweet potato starch. Instead, tapioca starch or cornmeal can be used. The vegetables to top an oyster omelette can be bean sprouts, spinach, mustard greens, or chrysanthemums.
There are a variety of optional ingredients that can also be added to an oyster omelette. Garlic and spring onions may also be included, as well as spices such as coriander, white pepper and salt. Vegetable or peanut oil is usually used to cook some elements of the oyster omelette. Soy sauce and Chinese wine are also occasionally included.
An oyster omelette is often served with one or more sauces. Sweet or savory sauces are more common, with bean paste, oyster sauce, or sweet chili sauce being the usual choices. Spring onions or coriander can also garnish the dish.
Home cooking and the vendor’s stall for oyster omelettes often have several differences. One of the main differences is in the preparation of the egg. When making eggs at home, they are usually scrambled or beaten before being placed in the hot pan or griddle. Vendors, on the other hand, often crack eggs directly onto the griddle and crack the yolks as the eggs cook.
To make an oyster omelette, eggs are added to a griddle and left to just about set. After that, greens are placed on top. Starch is sprinkled over the mixture before the omelet is covered and the eggs are allowed to fully set. Once set, the pancake-shaped omelet is folded, sometimes more than once, and served with sauces.
Alternatively, a thin batter could be made with rice flour, tapioca starch and water. The batter can cook before adding the other ingredients. Although the oysters may be placed on the griddle first, they are often the last ingredient added because they should be freshly cooked.
Vendors almost always use fresh oysters, but, when cooking at home, frozen oysters are often easier to use since they don’t require shucking. When working with fresh oysters, it is extremely important that they are still alive when shucked. Therefore, oysters should be carefully checked before shucking, discarding any open shells.
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