today is Mar 25, 2023
Crisp stir fried garlic scapes with fluffy eggs in a rich, fragrant brown sauce with a hint of sweetness. This recipe shares a super quick and easy way to consume a large amount of garlic scapes. Vegetarian, Gluten-Free Adaptable
Spring and early summer is garlic scape season in New York. I was so happy when I received a small batch of beautifully curled up garlic scapes in our CSA box this year. Because it’s a staple vegetable I love and one I ate growing up in China. I still cook with them when I have the chance to shop at an Asian market, but not nearly as much as I would like. But now that it’s late spring / early summer I can find garlic scapes at farmers markets and grocery stores, which is awesome.
Garlic scapes are an awesome ingredient to use in your daily cooking, because they are kind of like a cross between garlic and green onion but milder, with the texture of a green vegetable. So you basically get three in one.
Today I want to introduce my favorite recipe for stir fried garlic scapes with eggs. It is so easy to put together, takes no time to cook, and tastes so good! It’s the type of home-style cooking that you won’t often find in a restaurant, but it’s comforting and perfect for a busy weekday.
There are two types of garlic scape that you can usually find in the US – the long and skinny Asian type (on the left in the picture below), and the curly American type (on the right in the picture below).
The Asian type has straighter stems and a lighter color. The texture is tenderer and easier to cook through. The American type has a darker color with a very curly stem. It is much tougher than the Asian type and requires a different cooking method to taste good (more details below). So it’s important to understand the type you have before cooking.
To cut garlic scapes, firstly cut off about 1 to 2” from the stem on the bottom and discard that bit because it tends to be quite tough. You should also remove the very top part, where it’s shaped like the green part of a green onion. Most of the time this tip is quite dried out. And even if it’s not super dry, it’s fibrous and can be chewy even after cooking.
When you’re ready to cook, your table should have:
If you cook with Asian garlic scapes, you probably only need about two minutes to stir fry them until they become tender. If using American garlic scapes, you will need a much longer cooking time because their skin is quite thick and tough. My favorite way to cook with American garlic scapes is to splash a tablespoon of Shaoxing wine onto them during the stir fry. The wine will evaporate and lightly steam the garlic scapes, so they cook faster. It also adds a nice aroma to the dish. If you do not wish to use Shaoxing wine, add a splash of broth (chicken or vegetable broth), or a splash of water.
You can serve stir fried garlic scape with eggs as a main dish over steamed rice. The tender eggs and brown sauce work so well with the rice and it makes a nice light lunch. You can also serve the dish by itself as breakfast, or as part of a multi-dish meal.
I will be sharing a few more super simple garlic scape recipes the next few days. I hope you enjoy this one!
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Crisp stir fried garlic scapes with fluffy eggs in a rich, fragrant brown sauce with a hint of sweetness. This recipe shares a super quick and easy way to consume a large amount of garlic scapes. Vegetarian, Gluten-Free Adaptable
To make the dish gluten-free, use a gluten-free oyster sauce such as the LKK green label.
Author: Maggie Zhu
Course: Main, Side
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: homestyle
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2 to 4 servings
Mix the oyster sauce and soy sauce together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the eggs. Let cook for a few seconds until the bottom sets. Scramble the eggs lightly until just cooked through, then transfer them to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil, ginger and green onion. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
Add the garlic scapes. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, until it starts to soften if using Asian garlic scapes. Cook for a longer time if using US garlic scapess (*Footnote 1). Pour in the oyster sauce mixture and stir a few times to mix well. Taste a piece of garlic scape. It should be tender but still a bit crisp. You can cook it longer for a more tender texture, if you prefer.
Return the eggs to the pan. Stir and cook for another 30 minutes. Transfer everything to a large serving plate. Garnish with the remaining fresh green onions, if using. Serve hot over rice as a main dish or as a side dish.
Serving: 1 serving , Calories: 242 kcal , Carbohydrates: 29.9 g , Protein: 11.4 g , Fat: 9.9 g , Saturated Fat: 2.3 g , Cholesterol: 164 mg , Sodium: 282 mg , Potassium: 437 mg , Fiber: 2.1 g , Sugar: 1.4 g , Calcium: 185 mg , Iron: 3 mg