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Taiwanese · Chinese

Oyster omelette

Non-vegetarian

蚵仔煎 · ô-á-tsian

Plump oysters fried in a chewy starch batter with egg and greens, then smothered in a sweet-savoury red sauce — a defining dish of Taiwanese night markets.

Oyster omelette is a Taiwanese street food, ready in about 25 minutes and made with oysters, tapioca starch and egg. It serves 2 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
10 min
Cook
15 min
Total
25 min
Serves
2
Level
Intermediate
Calories
533

Ingredients

2 servings

Batter

Sauce

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Simmer the sauce ingredients together in a small pan, stirring, until thick and glossy. Set aside.

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Whisk the starch with the batter water and salt. Rinse the oysters (opens in a new tab) gently and pat dry.

    • 3 min
    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Heat 1½ tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, add half the oysters (opens in a new tab) and fry for 30 seconds. Stir the batter and pour half over them; fry until it turns translucent at the edges.

    Food safety: Oysters must be cooked through for anyone vulnerable; buy them from a trusted fishmonger.

  4. Step 4

    Pour half the egg (opens in a new tab) over the batter, scatter with half the greens and fry until the underside is crisp. Flip and cook 1–2 minutes more until set and the greens wilt.

    • 4 min
    • medium-high heat
    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Slide onto a plate and spoon the sauce over. Repeat for the second omelette.

    • 5 min

About this dish

Origin
Southern Fujian (Minnan) · Commonly attributedFrom Minnan (Hokkien) cooking in southern Fujian; Taiwan's version with sweet red sauce is the best known, and related versions are eaten in Singapore and Malaysia.Also popular in Taiwan, China, Singapore, Malaysia
Dish
Snack · Lunch · Dinner · Street food · Egg dishes
Cooking method
Pan-fried
Taste
sweet & savoury, umami, salty
Diet
Pescatarian · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Street food
Cook more with
Tapioca starch · Egg · Bok choy · Tomato ketchup · Hoisin sauce · Sugar
Techniques
Pan-frying · Simmering

Allergens

  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg
  • Contains, can be adapted: Molluscsfrom oysters
  • Contains: Wheatfrom hoisin sauce, soy sauce
  • Contains: Glutenfrom hoisin sauce, soy sauce
  • Contains: Soyfrom hoisin sauce, soy sauce
  • May contain: Sesamefrom hoisin sauce
  • May contain: Mustardfrom tomato ketchup
  • May contain: Celeryfrom tomato ketchup

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

533 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 438 g · recipe makes 2

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 15%
  • Carbohydrate 34%
  • Fat 51%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy533 kcal122 kcal
Protein20.6 g4.7 g
Carbohydrate45.3 g10.3 g
Net carbohydrate44.1 g10.1 g
Sugars——
Added sugars——
Fibre1.2 g0.3 g
Fat30.3 g6.9 g
Saturated fat4.4 g1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol329 mg75 mg
Sodium1076 mg245 mg
Salt equivalent2.7 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
520 mg
Calcium
137 mg
Iron
7.5 mg
Magnesium
53 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
341 µg
Vitamin C
36 mg
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
16.7 µg
Folate (DFE)
90 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Tapioca starch: Dry pearl tapioca (FDC 169717) used as a stand-in; both are almost pure cassava starch.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Use the smallest oysters you can find; large ones release too much liquid.
  • Stir the batter just before pouring — the starch settles to the bottom fast.

Common mistakes

  • Not stirring the batter before pouring — the starch sinks fast.

Serve with

  • Eat straight away while the edges are crisp.

Storage

  • Best eaten immediately.

Variations

  • Prawn omelette (Taiwan): Use chopped prawns in place of oysters.
  • Orh luak (Singapore): The Singaporean version, crispier and served with chilli sauce rather than sweet red sauce.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 2, 4

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