History
The oyster omelette is a dish of Southern Min origin, from the Hokkien and Teochew communities, and it is popular in Taiwan. The Hokkien style uses chicken eggs and a batter of sweet potato flour with tapioca or corn starch, which gives it a chewy texture. Yuan Huan Bian at Ningxia Night Market has been making its omelettes since 1965, with oysters from Tainan drizzled in a homemade sweet hot sauce, and the Michelin Guide recognizes it. Shilin Night Market also lists the oyster omelet among its famous foods.
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Common allergens: Egg, Mollusc, Soy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 150g small oysters, drained
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 40g sweet-potato starch
- 100ml water
- 1 handful chrysanthemum leaves or baby choi sum, chopped
- 30ml vegetable oil
- Salt, to taste
- Sweet sauce: 60ml ketchup, 15ml chilli sauce, 15ml miso, 30g sugar, 50ml water
Method
- Whisk sweet-potato starch with water until smooth.
- Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add starch slurry and swirl to a thin pancake, 30 seconds.
- Scatter oysters on top, pour eggs around the edge and onto the oysters. Lift and tilt to swirl egg under.
- Add chopped greens, fold the omelette over, cook 1 minute more.
- Make the sauce: bring all sauce ingredients to a boil, simmer 2 minutes until thick.
- Slide omelette onto plate, glaze with sauce.
Tip from the editors. Don't beat the eggs into the starch; the layered texture of starch under egg is what makes the dish. Smaller oysters are sweeter and won't release water.
Where to eat oyster omelette
Oyster omelette in Taipei
Yuan Huan Bian Oyster Omelette ★ 4.4
Yuan Huan Bian Oyster Omelette at No. 46, Ningxia Road has been making omelettes since 1965, with oysters from Tainan in a homemade sweet hot sauce.
TryOyster omelette with homemade sweet hot sauce
TipClosed Mondays; open 12:00 to 14:30 and 16:30 to 01:00 on the other days.
Shilin Night Market ★ 4.2
Shilin Night Market is open daily from 4:00 PM to midnight, serving authentic street food since 1909, including stinky tofu and pepper buns.
TryStinky tofu and pepper buns
TipThe market is busiest from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM; first-timers get easier navigation and shorter queues between 5:00 PM and 6:30 PM.
More places near Yuan Huan Bian Oyster Omelette and Shilin Night Market
Not on this list, but close by, nearest first. Every one is in our guide with its address, hours and what to order.
- Ming Fu Taiwanese, about 1.3 km away
- BeApe Restaurants, about 1.7 km away
- Addiction Aquatic Development Seafood Market and Sushi, about 1.8 km away
- Liu Yu Zai Street food, about 1.8 km away
- Ningxia Night Market Market, about 1.8 km away
- Fang Chia Chicken Rice Street food, about 1.8 km away
More cities are in research. Want oyster omelette covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.