The first step is to marinate the oysters in the mixture containing soy sauce, rice wine, and white pepper. After marinating, the oysters are cooked with the batter and eggs to make a kind of pancake omelette. The dish is usually served with a savory sweet sauce of ketchup, soy sauce, and cornstarch to give it an additional layer of flavor.

The Oyster Omelette holds a very special status within Taiwanese food culture. It represents not only the richness of seafood on this island but also the creativity of street food within it. At night markets, it is very common; big griddles are used to cook and vendors draw in customers by the sizzling noise and enticing aroma.

It is usually eaten as a snack or, perhaps, a light meal with other Taiwanese street food favorites, such as stinky tofu or bubble tea. In this sense, it is the oyster omelet experience of street food: sharing tables, sharing stories, and being able to linger around foodstalls.

In recent years, the Oyster Omelette had gained international attention as chefs tried their best to feature it on their menus the world over. With this rise in popularity on a global scale came a range of Oyster Omelette reinterpretations in various styles as chefs gave their individual touch to the conventional recipe.

Some chefs had tried out different kinds of seafood; some were fooling around with the batter, including rice flour or tapioca starch; and some variations are also not unheard of. The modifications have not been of a traditional form, but if anything, they bring out vital characteristics of an Oyster Omelette when considered in terms of a fusion of strange combinations of flavors and textures which constitute the very essence of Taiwan’s culinary richness. It is a dish narrates a story of a people and their relationship with the sea and its wealth. Through its enjoyment in an original or modernistic variant, the Oyster Omelet bequeaths a unique culinary experience which acquaints one with the vibrant street food culture of Taiwan and its rich cultural heritage.

As we go on to discover, eating around the world, let’s never forget behind every dish there is a story, history, and culture. The oyster omelette has one such story, with its very own inbuilt culinary traditions of survival and the changing order, and yet never losing its very roots. So, the next time you find yourself in a Taiwanese night market or in your own kitchen, partake in this culinary adventure and get to experience the rich tradition of the Taiwanese Oyster Omelette.