What it is
Scrambled egg with shrimp (蝦仁炒蛋) is a simple stir-fry of peeled shrimp and beaten egg. The egg leaves the heat while still soft and barely set, so it stays glossy around the springy shrimp. Cantonese cooks call the same dish 滑蛋蝦仁, 'smooth egg with shrimp', and treat it as everyday home food.
How it is made
The shrimp are peeled, patted dry and seasoned with salt and white pepper, with a little cornstarch to soak up moisture. They go into a very hot wok for a few seconds and come out nearly cooked. Beaten egg follows and is folded into soft layers, then the shrimp return. The heat goes off early and the wok finishes the egg. Some cooks mix starch and liquid into the egg to keep it tender.
How to eat it
Order it as one of several shared dishes and eat it with plain rice. It is cooked to order and is best eaten straight away, while the egg is still soft.
Around Taiwan
- Kaohsiung
- Yung Yen (永筵小館), a 2026 Bib Gourmand, makes this its signature dish. The chef is the son of the founding chef of Yun Lai Fang, the restaurant's name until it moved and was renamed in 2024.
