Stir-Fry

Golden Coin Eggs

by:
April 29, 2024
5
1 Ratings
Photo by Food52
  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

Golden Coin Eggs are a typical dish from the Southern Chinese province of Hunan, known for its bright, spicy dishes that pair immaculately with rice. The golden coins in questions are made from boiled eggs, sliced into medallions. The egg slices are coated lightly in starch before being fried to set their shape and give them a bit of color. Then, the dish is stir-fried with a generous amount of garlic, red, and green chiles.

Though the recipe is quite simple, this addictive Hunanese dish is all a result of proper wok technique and adding ingredients to the stir-fry at the right time to best activate its aromatics. Adding the pre-mixed sauce to the side of the rim also ensures a well-seasoned, caramelized sauce that ties the peppers and eggs together.

Taking inspiration from this popular dish, the same boiled egg medallions can be used for any other stir-fry dish, especially with vegetables that can provide crunch and textural contrast.
Lucas Sin

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons (about 1 ½ ounce; 45g) corn starch or potato starch
  • 1-inch knob fresh ginger (about 1 ounce; 30g), smashed and sliced thinly
  • 2 red chilis such as Fresnos (about 1 ounce; 30g), sliced on a bias ½” thick
  • 2 green chilis such as anaheim or serrano peppers (about 1 ounce; 30g), sliced on a bias ½” thick
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) light soy sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon (8 grams) oyster sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, ground
  • 1 scallion (about ½ ounce; 15 grams), sliced thinly
Directions
  1. Prepare an ice bath.
  2. Bring water to a boil in a medium pot. Carefully lower eggs into pot so they don’t crack. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 11 minutes. Once cooked, immediately place eggs in the ice bath and allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes before peeling under cool running water. Slice the eggs horizontally into ½-inch medallions, doing your best to keep the yolk and white intact. Dust the egg slices with the starch on both sides so that they’re protected when they get fried. This will also help the egg whites and egg yolks stay together.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the seasoning sauce together and set aside for the stir-fry.
  4. Heat ½ cup of tablespoons oil in a wok over high heat until barely smoking and turn down to medium. Carefully slide the egg medallions into the oil to fry until they begin to brown, flipping at least once to brown both sides. Once the eggs are golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  5. In the same wok, heat the remaining oil over high heat until smoking and add the ginger, and peppers. Stir-fry until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 15 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Return the eggs to the pan and gently toss to combine. Pour the seasoning sauce along the edge of the wok so that the sugars caramelize. Toss to combine and let the flavors meld for about 30 seconds, tossing and stirring constantly. The sauce should barely cling to the ingredients. Transfer to a serving platter immediately, garnish with scallions, and serve with white rice.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

1 Review

Anna G. May 20, 2024
Loved by everyone in my family!