Crispy Fried Egg

I have been frying eggs crispy since the day I was tall enough to reach the stove and all of a sudden it's currently a revolution. It's so hip it requires defence. It's so much talked about some find it quite difficult to master (what do I do with that mucus around the yolk?!), the perceived skill level required perhaps on par with what some chefs qualify as the perfect sunny side up and one day warrant its own test slot in cooking competitions.

Because simplicity and caveman methods are now a trend - something we have to fight for, while sous vide anything and perfectly poached eggs are what one would expect from any respectable menu. People who call themselves chefs or expert cooks no longer remember how to cook rice on the stove with the dingiest cheap metal pot and no rice cooker, understand the best way to use high heat, not put oil (and worse still, a piece of meat) onto a cold pan or the fact that fat and caramelization anything equal flavor. Basic instinct and common sense are lost in the kitchen, as if it's not bad enough the world is losing it already based on recent events unfurling before our lives.

Make this any given day, season it well (please, good soy sauce only) and put it on everything. As the slightly crunchy-edged fluffy whites and creamy yolks embalmed with a soft layer of film wreak havoc in your mouth, embrace the fact that we never did need much to make good food absolutely brilliant.

Crispy Fried Egg

Best done using a Chinese wok for its concaved bottom. If using a skillet or cast iron pan, reach for the smallest one in your kitchen.

• 1 good glug peanut or other vegetable oil (not butter)
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A dash of good quality light soy sauce
• A few drops of toasted sesame oil

Heat up the wok or pan over high flame. Pour in the oil and let it heat up to just smoking, swirling the fat around. Add the egg, reduce heat to medium-high. Let the hot oil and pan do its job and just stay put, taking in all that drama while the whites bubble around the top and more than a few drops of oil splatter around your stove top. Refrain from moving or touching it as the edges begin to brown. This should take about a minute.

With a spoon or spatula, spoon over some of the hot oil over the top to help cook the white (you can tilt the pan/wok slightly to scoop out some oil). Once there are no more raw whites visible, remove gently, draining out excess oil (best done with a slotted fish spatula). Rest on desired meal or dish, season as desired. Continue with the next egg if required.