Soy Sauce Fried Eggs (Jiang You Jian Dan)

The story

Crispy-edged fried eggs have their own hashtag economy in China, and this version — fried hard, then glazed in a spoonful of sweetened soy — is the one people make on repeat. Spoon it over hot rice and the yolk turns the bowl into sauce.

Ingredients (4 + pantry staples)

• Eggs — 3
• Soy sauce — 1.5 tbsp
• Sugar — 1 tsp (counts here — it makes the glaze)
• Scallions — 1, sliced

Pantry staples used (don't count toward the 6): cooking oil. Not stocked yet? See the pantry page.

Steps

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil until shimmering; crack the eggs in and fry until the edges are lace-crisp and browned, yolk still runny.
2. Add soy sauce and sugar to the pan edge; swirl 15 seconds until bubbling into a glaze.
3. Spoon the glaze over the eggs, scallions on top. Serve over rice.

Swaps

Chili crisp instead of the sugar-soy makes the famous spicy version. Add a slice of ham for a fuller bowl.