They think it's all ova: Bill Granger's Asia-influenced egg recipes

Our chef made his name cooking eggs, but he’s never stopped looking for new ways to serve them

I honestly thought I'd covered all bases with eggs, but my love affair shows no signs of dissipating, and I’m constantly trying new ways of cooking them. I first became known for my scrambled eggs and the brunch we serve at my restaurant in Sydney, but as my family knows too well, I’m also quite partial to having them as a main course for lunch or dinner. We always have eggs in the fridge, so whether they’re part of a planned meal, or one of our last-minute throw-it-all-in-the-pan weekday suppers, it doesn’t take long for them to run out.

My other great food loves, or some might say obsessions, are the fresh, zingy and spicy flavours of Asia. Pair them with eggs and  I really am in heaven. Mostly  I’ll experiment with quick, almost-instant meals, then occasionally I’ll be more ambitious and try out a more adventurous dish like the eggnets I always order at Longrain, one of my favourite Sydney restaurants. For a dish that looks so simple,  it’s taken me lots of trial and error to get them right (see recipe overleaf). But who’s complaining? They’re so good I’d happily eat them every day.

Burmese golden-egg curry

Serves 4

I love it when I discover a new technique, and frying boiled eggs the way you do in this curry has come as a total revelation to me. It gives the white a gorgeous golden colour and crisp texture, allowing the spicy sauce to be soaked up, rather than just sliding off as it would with normal boiled eggs.

4 eggs
100ml/3½oz light-flavoured oil
3 shallots, thinly sliced into rounds
1 onions, chopped
½ tsp turmeric
1 tbsp curry powder
1 chilli, sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3cm ginger, peeled and chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp fish sauce
Handful coriander
Plain rice, to serve

Lower the eggs into a small pan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Drain, cool in cold water then peel. Set aside. k

Heat the oil in a wide pan over a high heat. Fry the shallots for 4 to 5 minutes until golden-brown. Lift with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Carefully lower the peeled eggs into the hot oil and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning until brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.

Carefully pour out all but about 2 tbsp of the oil. Return the pan to the heat. Add the onions, cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until starting to soften. Stir in the turmeric, curry powder, chilli and garlic. Cook over a medium heat for 2 minutes then add the tomatoes and 2 tbsp of water. Cook until the tomatoes have broken down. Stir in the fish sauce. Cut the eggs in half and return to the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes, scatter with coriander and serve with the crispy shallots and plain rice.

Oyakodon

Serves 4

This isn't the prettiest of dishes, but I can guarantee it's one of the most comforting meals you could have. Oddly, the name means mother (the chicken) and child (the egg), which is quite creepy, but not so much that I'd let it get between me and a good meal…

4 tbsp mirin
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
250ml/8fl oz dashi stock or light chicken stock
1 onion, sliced
600g/1¼lb boned chicken thighs, skinned and cut into chunks
4 eggs, lightly beaten

To serve

Steamed Japanese rice
3 spring onions, sliced

Place the mirin, soy, sugar and dashi or chicken stock in a large frying pan and bring to the boil. Spread the onion over the base of the pan, top with the chicken pieces and bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Slowly pour the eggs evenly over the chicken and cover with a lid. Cook for 30 seconds then remove from the heat and leave covered for another minute. Serve in bowls over Japanese steamed rice, topped with spring onions.

Eggnets with prawns

Serves 4

Getting the nets right isn't easy, but if you're after a challenge and a bit of messy fun, this is the dish for you. I know beating the eggs way in advance sounds completely impractical, but the protein breaks down during this resting time, making it possible to get that beautiful lacy look. When I don't have the time, I simply beat some eggs and use them to make thin, crêpe-like omelettes instead.

3 eggs, lightly beaten
Light-flavoured oil, for frying
Handful coriander sprigs, stalks finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2cm ginger, peeled and grated
1 lemongrass stalk, tender inner core only, finely sliced
250g/8oz raw peeled prawns, sliced in half lengthways
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
Handful beansprouts
1 red chilli, sliced
3 shallots, sliced
Handful mint leaves
1 small cucumber, cut into chunks

Strain the lightly beaten eggs over a thin sieve then season lightly with salt. Cover and keep chilled for four hours or overnight.

To make the egg nets, heat 3 tbsp oil in a 20cm-23cm non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Wash your hands well and dip the tips of the fingers of one hand into the eggs. Lift your hands and drizzle the mixture over the pan, zig-zagging backward and forward, then side to side to make a net. Drizzle some eggs in a circle around the edge of the eggnet, to make a border. Once set, lift the net to a serving plate with a palette knife. Repeat with the remaining egg, to make four nets. Set aside.

For the filling, heat 1 tbsp of oil in the frying pan, add the coriander stalks, garlic, ginger and lemongrass and fry for 1 minute. Add the prawns and cook, stirring, until the prawns turn pink. Remove from the heat and stir in the fish sauce and sugar. Tip into a bowl and toss in the beansprouts, chilli, shallots, mint and coriander leaves. Spoon down one half of the nets then carefully fold over the other side to enclose the filling. Serve with the cucumber.