11 Egg Dishes From Around the World

Scrambled, fried, deviled, or poached, as good for sweet pancakes as much as savory omelettes—there’s nothing quite so versatile as the humble egg. To prove it, here’s a selection of inventive egg recipes from all over the world:

A fried egg is the crowning glory of this Korean classic. Rice served in a hot stone bowl is topped with the spicy ingredients of your choice—ground meat, spinach, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts and kimchi—and topped with a raw or fried egg. All this is meant to be mixed together before you start: The name Bibimbap comes from ‘bapeul bibida,’ meaning ‘stirring rice.’

Khai ping songquang

Skewered eggs, anyone? On the streets of Thailand and Laos you’ll find whole eggs on the grill. It’s something of an art form: Before the eggs are grilled, the inside is blown out, beaten, seasoned—and then put back into the shell. It’s not easy, but it sure is tasty.

A British picnic classic. Take a boiled egg, encase it in sausage meat, coat it with breadcrumbs, and fry until golden brown. These crunchy egg-meatballs taste as good warm as they do cold – when the British weather isn’t fit for eating al fresco, they are enjoyed in a pub with glass of ale.

This leavened bread, filled with eggs, cheese, cream, and garlic is a popular – and filling – street food found all-over in Georgia. Of the many regional varieties, the Adjaruli Khachapuri is particularly special: The boat-shaped bread comes with a whole egg cracked on top of the cheesy filling. But if you want to try your hand at Khachapuri, you’d better lift your spirits: Georgian folklore says if you’re not in a good mood, your dough won’t rise

If you’re a fan of scrambled eggs, you’re going to love this Turkish version named after the city of Menemen. Onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes are all added to a frying pan. When the tomatoes are tender, eggs are stirred in and seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika.

Century eggs

For some they are a delicacy, for others a test of courage.. But they don’t really take centuries their name suggests. Duck, quail or chicken eggs are wrapped in a paste of wood ash, chalk, tea leaves, water, salt, and lemon juice and stored in a clay container for approximately 45-90 days. As it preserves, the egg white turns into an amber-colored jelly and the yolk becomes creamy and dark green. According to legend, the first century eggs were dug up some 600 years ago during the Ming dynasty: Ducks were said to have laid their eggs on a chalky building site and discovered later by the amazed house owner.

If you’re not quite feeling brave enough for the experiment, try starting off with Chinese tea eggs.

Avgolemono

Avgolemono means ‘egg and lemon’—key words for this chicken soup variant. A raw egg beaten with lemon juice is added into the broth with cooked rice and immediately removed from heat to prevent the egg from curdling. Avgolemono is a soup for every season: Fresh in summer, warming in winter.

It’s said this dessert was invented by accident. An apprentice was preparing crêpes for the future king Edward VII when the syrup, made with liqueur, caught fire. To save the day, he dipped the crêpes into the fiery marinade and served it as a brand new creation in honor of the Prince, who name it after his guest Suzette.

Egg salad with smoked salmon

Though there are versions from all over, we love this Danish recipe. In Copenhagen, egg salad is made with shrimp, smoked salmon and fresh herbs, mixed with boiled eggs and a sauce made of mayonnaise and cream. Eat it on its own, or spread on Danish rye bread like the locals.

Here's our version of an open-faced egg salad sandwich:

Crema Catalana is the sweetest way to make use of half a dozen eggs. A mixture of cream, sugar, and vanilla is beaten together with six egg yolks. It’s then poured into ramekins and placed in a larger baking dish filled with boiling water to steam in the oven. Heavenly!