Gochugaru Chili Oil Eggs

Name: Gochugaru Chili Oil Eggs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 5 people
Cuisine: Korean-Inspired
Ingredients: 6 tbsp Neutral oil (such as avocado or grapeseed oil); 3 tbsp Gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes); 4 cloves Garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1-inch piece Fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 1 tbsp Sesame oil (toasted); 2 tbsp Coconut aminos; 10 large eggs Large eggs; 4 stalks Green onions (scallions), thinly sliced, whites and greens separated; 1 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds; to taste Flaky sea salt; 2 cups Jasmine rice, rinsed

These eggs are all about that slow-cooked chili oil pooling around soft, barely-set whites and jammy yolks. Gochugaru brings a deep, fruity heat that's different from most chili flakes, warm and smoky without being sharp. A drizzle of coconut aminos adds just enough salty depth to round everything out. Serve straight from the pan with rice or crusty bread to mop up every drop of that oil.

Ingredients

6 tbsp Neutral oil (such as avocado or grapeseed oil)
3 tbsp Gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
4 cloves Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1-inch piece Fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tbsp Sesame oil (toasted)
2 tbsp Coconut aminos
10 large eggs Large eggs
4 stalks Green onions (scallions), thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
1 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds
to taste Flaky sea salt
2 cups Jasmine rice, rinsed

Instructions

Rinse 2 cups (370 g) jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then load it into your rice cooker with the corresponding water line and start it. It'll be done and warm by the time the eggs are ready.
Peel and thinly slice 4 cloves garlic into rounds as thin as you can get them. Set them aside on your cutting board.
Peel a 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of fresh ginger and grate it finely. A microplane works great here, or the fine side of a box grater. Set it next to the garlic.
Thinly slice 4 stalks green onions, keeping the whites and greens in separate piles. The whites go into the chili oil; the greens are for finishing.
Pour 4 tbsp (60 ml) neutral oil into a small saucepan and set it over medium-low heat. Add the 4 cloves sliced garlic and the scallion whites. Let them sizzle gently for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic smells sweet and the edges are just starting to turn pale gold. You are not deep-frying here, just coaxing out flavor.
Add the grated ginger and stir it in for about 30 seconds until fragrant, then pull the pan off the heat.
Immediately stir in 3 tbsp (25 g) gochugaru while the oil is still hot but off the flame. This blooms the chili without burning it, the oil should sizzle briefly and turn a gorgeous deep red. Stir in 1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil and 2 tbsp (30 ml) coconut aminos. Taste the oil and add a pinch of flaky salt if you feel it needs it. Set the chili oil aside.
Set your cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil. Let the pan heat until the oil shimmers and a drop of water flicked in spits immediately, about 2 minutes.
Crack 5 of the 10 eggs directly into the hot oil, spacing them so they don't merge. Let them fry undisturbed for about 2 to 3 minutes. You're looking for whites that are fully set with slightly crispy lacy edges and yolks that are still glossy and just barely wobbly when you nudge the pan. Season lightly with flaky sea salt. Transfer to a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining 5 eggs, adding a splash more oil if the pan looks dry.
Spoon a generous amount of the chili oil over each portion of eggs, letting it pool around the whites. Scatter over the scallion greens and 1 tbsp (9 g) toasted sesame seeds. Add a final drizzle of coconut aminos straight from the bottle. Serve immediately alongside the rice from the cooker.