Bánh mì ốp la
One of the simplest Vietnamese breakfasts: the baguette Vietnam adopted from the French, and fried eggs — even the name “ốp la” comes from French. Two eggs fried in a small hot pan, with crisp lacy edges, splashed with Maggi or soy sauce and dusted with pepper, served with warm baguette, cucumber, coriander and chilli. The baguette is torn by hand and dipped into the runny yolk. It takes about 20 minutes, and the difference is made by a very hot pan — that is what gives the whites their crisp edges.
Your own work in that: 0 min.
- Preparation 15 min
- Frying the eggs 5 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneWarm the baguettes
Heat the oven to 200°C (prepare the garnishes meanwhile). Just before frying the eggs, put the baguettes in for about 5 minutes, until the crust starts to crackle.
Ingredients: 2 pcs small baguettes · ½ pcs cucumber · ¼ bunch coriander · 1 pcs red chilli
The crust should crackle under your fingers.Prepare the garnishes
Cut the cucumber into sticks, the chilli into slices and the spring onion into rings. Pick the coriander leaves.
Ingredients: 2 pcs small baguettes · ½ pcs cucumber · ¼ bunch coriander · 1 pcs red chilli
Heat the pan
Ideally use two small cast-iron pans, one per person. Heat the oil and butter in them until the butter foams.
Ingredients: 4 pcs eggs · 1 tbsp oil · 10 g butter · 2 tsp Maggi seasoning or soy sauce · ½ tsp black pepper · 1 pcs spring onion
Crack in the eggs
Crack two eggs into each pan. Fry over medium-high heat 2–3 minutes, until the whites set and the edges turn golden and lacy. The yolk should stay runny.
Ingredients: 4 pcs eggs · 1 tbsp oil · 10 g butter · 2 tsp Maggi seasoning or soy sauce · ½ tsp black pepper · 1 pcs spring onion
Lacy edges — the pan must be hot.A note on yolks
A runny yolk is undercooked egg. If you are serving children, pregnant women, older people or anyone with weakened immunity, cover the pan and fry another 2–3 minutes, until the yolks set.
Ingredients: 4 pcs eggs · 1 tbsp oil · 10 g butter · 2 tsp Maggi seasoning or soy sauce · ½ tsp black pepper · 1 pcs spring onion
Splash with sauce
Splash the eggs with Maggi or soy sauce and scatter with pepper and spring onion.
Ingredients: 4 pcs eggs · 1 tbsp oil · 10 g butter · 2 tsp Maggi seasoning or soy sauce · ½ tsp black pepper · 1 pcs spring onion
Serve in the pan
Set the pans on mats (careful, the handles are hot) with the baguette and garnishes alongside. Many Vietnamese cafés serve the eggs in the very pan they were fried in.
Ingredients: 2 pcs small baguettes · ½ pcs cucumber · ¼ bunch coriander · 1 pcs red chilli
Dip the baguette
Tear the baguette and dip it in the yolk, with bites of cucumber, coriander and chilli.
Ingredients: 2 pcs small baguettes · ½ pcs cucumber · ¼ bunch coriander · 1 pcs red chilli
Baguette in the yolk — that is the joy of it.
Before you start
The full version
In many cafés pâté, sliced sausage or small meatballs in tomato sauce (xíu mại) also go into the pan with the eggs. With baguette this set is called bánh mì chảo, and it makes a hearty, filling breakfast.
With pickled vegetables
A great side is đồ chua — carrot and daikon pickled in a sweet and sour brine. The crunchy, tangy vegetables balance the rich egg.
Maggi seasoning
In Vietnam Maggi is a very popular seasoning, especially with eggs. It tastes more intense than soy sauce — add it drop by drop.
