Loofah Prawn Omelette

Method13 steps · about 45 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel the two medium loofahs from their centers toward each end, removing all the tough dark-green skin. If a gourd has hard mature seeds, split it lengthwise and remove those seeds. Keep the peeled loofah flesh for slicing.

   Uses 2 medium loofahs

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Wash the peeled loofah flesh from step 1. Cut it diagonally into thin slices, then into strips about 5 mm thick. Drain and keep ready before heating the pan.

   Uses Peeled flesh only, excluding discarded skin and hard seeds · Clean water, for washing the loofah and safely cleaning the pan before the omelettes

3. 3

   Step 3: Peel the 200 g shell-on prawns, remove their digestive veins if present, and cut the meat into halves. Keep them refrigerated until marinating.

   Uses 200 g medium shell-on prawns

4. 4

   Step 4: Beat the 5–6 eggs in a large bowl and mix in ⅓ tsp of the divided salt (⅓ tsp). Keep the bowl refrigerated until the cooked filling is ready.

   Uses 5–6 eggs · ⅓ tsp salt, for eggs

5. 5

   Step 5: Mix the peeled halved prawns from step 3 with another ⅓ tsp salt. Refrigerate for 5–10 minutes while finishing the remaining preparation.

   Finish chilled prawn marinade · 5 minUses Prawn meat only, excluding discarded shells · ⅓ tsp salt, for prawns

6. 6

   Step 6: Prepare 1 tsp finely chopped garlic. Have the sliced loofah, salted eggs and a sieve ready before starting to fry.

   Uses 1 tsp finely chopped garlic

7. 7

   Step 7: Heat a little oil from the 4–5 tbsp divided supply in a non-stick pan. Stir-fry the marinated prawns from step 5 for about 3–4 minutes, checking from 3 minutes, until their flesh is opaque and fully cooked. Lift them onto a clean plate, leaving the used frying oil in the pan for step 8.

   Check cooked prawns · 3 minUses A little of the divided cooking oil, for prawns · Chilled salt-marinated prawns

   
8. 8

   Step 8: In the same pan with the retained oil from step 7, add another small portion from the divided oil supply. Fry the prepared garlic from step 6 over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, checking from 1 minute, until fragrant without burning.

   Check fragrant garlic · 1 minUses Used frying oil only, separate from the lifted cooked prawns · Some more of the divided cooking oil, for garlic and loofah · One teaspoon prepared chopped garlic

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Add the drained loofah strips from step 2 to the garlic and oil from step 8. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes, then add the remaining ⅓ tsp salt and continue until the loofah is limp and releases its juices.

   Check softened loofah · 5 minUses Loofah strips only; washing water discarded · Fried garlic and retained cooking oil · Remaining ⅓ tsp salt, for loofah

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Transfer the cooked loofah from step 9 into a sieve over a separate bowl. Drain off the excess juices; keep those juices out of the egg mixture.

    Uses Cooked loofah, garlic and pan juices

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Add the drained loofah and its clinging garlic from step 10 and the lifted cooked prawns from step 7 to the salted beaten eggs from step 4. Mix well. Keep the bowl ready while frying the omelettes in the following steps.

    Uses Drained vegetables only, excluding the released liquid · Cooked prawns only, excluding oil left in the pan · Salted beaten eggs

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Use a clean, dry non-stick pan: wash the earlier pan safely after emptying it, or use another clean one. Heat a small portion of the remaining divided oil. Ladle two scoops of the mixture from step 11 into the pan and spread the loofah and prawns evenly. Fry the first side until slightly golden and firm enough to turn, keeping the remaining mixture in its bowl.

    Uses Clean water, for washing the loofah and safely cleaning the pan before the omelettes · Some remaining divided cooking oil, for the first omelette · Two ladlefuls for the first omelette; the ladle volume and batch share are unspecified

    
13. 13

    Step 13: Turn the omelette from step 12 with a wide spatula, using a plate to help if needed. Fry the second side until lightly golden and the center is fully set with no runny egg; an egg-dish center should reach 71°C. Lift the cooked omelette onto a clean platter. Repeat steps 12–13 with two ladlefuls at a time from the remaining mixture in step 11, adding small portions of the remaining divided oil as needed, until the mixture is used. Cook both sides of every batch fully and serve promptly. The author gives five side-dish portions as a guide, not a fixed number of omelettes.

    Uses First-side-fried omelette in its cooking oil · Mixture remaining in the bowl after the first two ladlefuls · Remaining divided cooking oil, as needed for repeated batches