This is my family shrimp and eggs recipe, with tender and soft egg flakes clinging gently to the plump and crunchy pink shrimps.

I am referring to shrimp with eggs (滑蛋虾仁), a classic Cantonese dish that is extremely popular because of its incredible taste and the straightforward cooking steps.

However, many people fail to replicate this easy recipe they enjoyed in the restaurant. It turns out that the egg scramble is either too runny or too hard. The shrimps are also not as crunchy as they expect.

This article will reveal how to perfect this shrimp recipe with eggs.

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1. How to make the shrimps have the crunchy mouthfeel

One of the secrets of Chinese cooking is making the shrimp juicy with a crunchy pop mouthfeel. The method to prevent the shrimps from becoming soft and mealy was once a well-kept secret. However, thanks to the internet’s free-flowing information, many people can replicate this well-guarded, secretive Chinese restaurant trade secret.

There are four methods that I came across how to make the shrimps extremely bouncy and crunchy, but with some doubt whether they are all effective. Therefore, I have tested to confirm which method yields the best result.  I treated the shrimps with the following methods and then poached them in water for one minute.

The following is the result of the tests. 

1. Rinse the shrimps under running water for 30 minutes until it becomes translucent. The result: The shrimps shrink after poaching and are not crunchy. I assume the pH of the tap water is less than seven. The shrimp should turn crunchy if it is slightly alkaline.
2. Marinate the shrimp with baking soda, tapioca starch, and egg white for 30 minutes. The result: The shrimps look plump and are very crunchy.
3. Marinate with plenty of salt for 30 minutes, then rinse the shrimp until the water is clear. The result: The shrimps are salty but not as crunchy as number two.
4. Soak in water with baking soda and some salt for 30 minutes. The result: Plum and crunchy, just like number two.

Conclusion: Soak the shrimps with baking soda and salt solution for thirty minutes to yield the crunchy shrimps among the four methods. The tapioca starch and egg whites are unnecessary. I have read from some articles that baking soda with pH9 can alter the texture of the shrimp to make it crunchy.

I know not everyone is so meticulous about the crunchiness of the shrimp. However, I have been obsessed with this and am eager to find the result. After all, it is not hard to use this method at home.

Summary of the steps to prepare the shrimps:

• Remove the shell, and devein the shrimp.
• Place the peeled shrimp in a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of salt, and sufficient water to cover the shrimp.
• Keep it in the refrigerator for thirty minutes.
• Rinse under running water to remove the baking soda and salt.
• Poach the shrimp in boiling water until they turn color. Remove and drain. Do not cook the shrimp too long; we do not want them to lose flavor. I only poach the shrimps for one minute for the small one, which is about 70 of them per kg with the shell. Poach a little longer if you use the larger shrimps.

Note: Treating the shrimp with baking soda will make them shrimp crunchy, but at the same time, will reduce the meaty mouthfeel that resembles crab meat. Therefore, it depends on whether you like the texture or you can skip this step. This method also makes the famous dim sum shrimp dish Har Gow.

P/s: If you like Har Gow, check out other related dim sums on this blog as below:

1. Char Siu Bao (steamed meat bao) 叉燒包
2. Steamed glutinous rice with chicken (Lo Mai Gai) 糯米鷄
3. Shumai 燒賣
4. Steamed spareribs with black bean paste 豉汁蒸排骨
5. Har Gaw (Shrimp dumplings) 蝦餃
6. Cantonese porridge 皮蛋瘦肉粥

2. Cook the shrimp before combining them with the egg

Cook the shrimp separately because it takes longer to cook than the eggs. 

There are two methods to cook the shrimp:

• Poach the shrimps, as I mentioned above.
• Pan-fried the shrimp with oil over low heat until they turned aromatic and pinkish.

The shrimp and eggs stir-fry will turn out fabulous by using either one of these methods.

Tips: After dealing with shrimp, wash your hand with a teaspoon of baking soda can effectively remove the shrimpy smell from your hands.

3. Cook the egg to the right consistency

Preparing the shrimp with eggs scramble is easy, but you need some skill to get the silky smooth consistency, nearly set egg with a bright golden color.

The perfect result should be soft eggs that are softer than scrambled eggs. This appearance matches the Chinese name of the dish 滑蛋虾仁, which means ‘smooth egg with shrimps.’. The smoothness of the eggs judges the standard of this dish. 

Summary of the steps to prepare the egg:

• Crack the eggs in a large bowl.
• Add the salt, sugar, white pepper, and sesame oil. You can add some light soy sauce and oyster sauce, but I prefer to keep the color light and yellowish without adding them.
• Cut some scallion (green onions) crosswise into 1/3 cm short pieces and add to the egg. Beat the egg until well combined. You can use Chinese chives as an alternative to scallions.
• Mix the cornstarch and water in a separate bowl to form a slurry. Combine the cornflour slurry with the egg liquid.
• Add the poached shrimp to the egg mixture.
• Heat the oil in a wok or a large skillet until it starts smoky.
• Pour the beaten eggs into the wok, and reduce it to keep it at medium heat.
• Move the egg mixture gently until it is nearly cooked. Dish out immediately.

The details of making the shrimp and eggs scramble

Use cornstarch

Diluting the egg with some water is an effective way to form a smoother texture. However, water does not mix well with eggs. The problem commonly happens to scrambled eggs prepared with milk, and the milk will separate from the egg after keeping it for some time.

The trick to let the water and egg combine well is to use cornstarch to hold them together. Mix one part of cornstarch with two parts of water in a separate bowl to form a slurry before adding it to the egg mixture. The cornstarch will form lumps if you add it directly to the egg. Combine with the eggs and beat until homogenous.

You can also use milk instead of water for a richer flavor.

Proper heat control

Heat control is the most delicate step of making a successful silky smooth egg. Let me explain:

• Pour a ladle of oil into a well-seasoned wok to cover the whole surface in contact with the eggs. This step will minimize the egg from sticking to the wok.
• Pour away the excess oil back into the storage container. You can reuse the oil for another stir-frying session or deep-frying.
• Add some additional oil if it is too little remains in the wok. Heat the oil until it starts to smoke.
• This step is crucial. Switch off the stove or reduce the heat to a minimum). Pour the egg and shrimp mixture into the wok. The egg will start to sizzle on the side of the hot wok.
• Push the egg gently from the center to the edge before it is fully set. Let the uncooked egg liquid flow to the center to keep in contact with the hot surface.
• The egg will start to form fluffy curds and cling to the shrimps.
• Once the egg is seventy percent cooked, dish it out immediately. The latent heat will eventually set the remaining egg mixture. If you wait until all the egg is solidified, it will lose its smooth texture.

This shrimp and eggs recipe is ideal for anyone who wants to have a delicious quick meal. Best to serve with rice or be a side dish for a heavy breakfast. The best thing is it takes one minute of poaching and another minute of scrambling!

Shrimp and eggs recipe (Cantonese style)- 滑蛋虾仁