O-Ah Jian (Taiwanese Oyster Pancake)
This is a recipe that had been on my list for a while, but I was intimidated by it (as I often am) because how does one create the authentic “taste” that can’t be found elsewhere in the world?
When I was little, my family lived in Taiwan, where my parents are originally from, for a year due my dad’s business. Oyster pancakes and tang hu lu abound, it’s a mish mash of memories filled with food as well as hospitalizations (was admitted with pneumonia four times.)
As a kid I really didn’t like oyster pancake very much–and I think part of it is that the oysters weren’t truly freshly shucked, creating a slightly bitter and fishy flavor. Once in a while though, the craving hits me, and I just so happened to have everything I needed, including live oysters leftover from an oyster roast with my sister so I decided to try it. It is an explosion of flavor and texture–the starch portion is chewy and a bit gooey, the egg tender and savory, some crispy edges and bites to the greens, with plump and juicy oysters embedded throughout. It is slathered in a deliciously sweet and tangy tomato and soy paste based sauce.
I’ve only done this with tapioca starch, but evidently sweet potato and corn starch are also possibilities. Be generous with the oil and the oysters!
Ingredients
- 6-8 pieces freshly shucked oysters
- 1 loosely packed cup of spinach, a-choy, or chrysanthemum greens/tong-hao
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 1 large egg, beaten
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 2-3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon miso
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon sweet chili paste
- 2 tablespoon hot water, to dilute sauce
- Combine hot water, ketchup, miso, sugar, sweet chili paste until smooth.
- Combine tapioca starch and 1/3 cup water.
- Heat oil in pan over medium high heat.
- Drizzle tapioca starch slurry in pan (does not have to be evenly spread.) Once it has turned clear and is sizzling, drop in oysters.
- Drizzle in beaten egg and top with greens. Sprinkle salt and white pepper to taste.
- Allow to cook until desired done-ness, or when edges begin to brown and crisp.
- Remove from heat and pour on sauce. Serve hot.