Salted Chili & Chinese Chive Frittata

Method6 steps · about 20 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Before heating the skillet, wash and dry the Chinese garlic chives and chop them. Beat all six large eggs with ⅛ tsp sugar, 1 tsp Shaoxing wine, ¼ tsp ground white pepper and ¼ tsp sesame oil. Choose either the frittata or the scrambled-egg finish. For the frittata, have a stable heatproof plate larger than the skillet ready for turning.

   Uses 6 large eggs · ⅛ teaspoon sugar · 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine · ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper · ¼ teaspoon sesame oil · Water for washing chives before drying and chopping

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Heat all 5 tbsp vegetable oil in a cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until ready for stir-frying, without letting it smoke.

   Uses 5 tablespoons vegetable oil

3. 3

   Step 3: Add all 1½ cups chopped chives and stir-fry until just wilted. Add the ready salted chopped Hunan chilies, using up to the measured ¼ cup or less to taste because they are salty. Spread them evenly through the chives.

   Uses All 5 tbsp vegetable oil heated in step 2 · 1½ cups Chinese garlic chives, chopped · ¼ cup ready salted chopped Hunan chilies (duo jiao), or less to taste

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Pour the beaten egg mixture evenly over the chives and chilies. For scrambled eggs, gently stir until fully cooked with no runny egg, keeping the pieces fairly large; skip the flipping action in step 5 and go straight to serving. For a frittata, lower the heat to medium and leave it undisturbed until mostly set and firm enough to slide as one piece, then continue to step 5.

   Uses All the beaten eggs, sugar, wine, white pepper and sesame oil from step 1, separate from washing water · All the chives, selected salted chilies and skillet oil from step 3

   
5. 5

   Step 5: For the frittata only, take the skillet off the heat and carefully slide the mostly set round onto the stable heatproof plate. Using dry oven gloves, place the skillet over the plate and hold both securely; turn them together so the uncooked face lands in the skillet, keeping hot oil away from your hands. Return the skillet to medium heat and cook until the centre and surface are fully set with no runny egg. If checking with a thermometer, the egg dish should reach 71°C / 160°F.

   Uses The whole mostly set frittata from step 4; this action does not apply to the scrambled-egg route

6. 6

   Step 6: Serve the completed frittata or the fully cooked scrambled eggs immediately, divided into four portions. Add ready hot cooked rice if desired; its amount is separate and unmeasured here.

   Uses The fully cooked frittata from step 5, if that route was selected · The finished scrambled-egg alternative from step 4, only if that route was selected · Ready cooked rice, optional, prepared separately