The Easy Addition To Give Your Fried Eggs Some Crunch

Eggs are a quintessential breakfast item, transforming into various culinary characteristics. Perhaps one morning may call for fluffy or creamy scrambled eggs, while a different day warrants a fancy plate of eggs benedict. But for crispy textures, one must always turn to a perfectly fried egg.

Fried eggs, as Recipe Tips puts it, occur when eggs are fried in butter or some kind of fat. You should see firm egg whites, while the yolk can be cooked to whichever doneness you prefer. These include a runny yolk, a soft yolk, or a firm yolk. The softness of the yolk and egg whites paired with the crispy edges around the perimeter of the egg offers a delightful textural contrast on the palate and along with other foods. In fact, Tastewise notes that fried eggs go hand-in-hand with hamburgers, rice, onions, and coffee.

But fried eggs also pair well with a certain kind of crunchy ingredient — and it's especially popular in Asian-inspired meals. Here's what it is and why it will take your next batch of fried eggs to the next level.

As Savory Experiments explains, sesame seeds come from sesame plants and are used to make tahini, sesame oil, and sesame powder. There are also two kinds: white and black sesame seeds. The white ones can be described as "sweeter" and "nuttier," per Spiceography, while black sesame seeds are "crispier," a little bit bitter, and have a stronger flavor profile.

When paired with fried eggs, a tasty recipe is born: sesame fried eggs. You've got the crispiness of the seeds and eggs, the softness of the egg yolks, and other textural/flavor contrasts from additional ingredients. To that, this egg recipe is quite tasty atop toast, labneh, chili spread, and arugula with herbs, per Kitchn.

Christine Flynn shared her sesame fried egg recipe on Instagram, and the process is quick, easy, and great for beginner home cooks. First, some fat is warmed up in the pan over medium-high heat (olive oil, butter, or both work). Next, a large pinch of sesame seeds is added to the fat and an egg is cracked (not whisked) into a separate dish and gently poured over the bed of sesame seeds. The egg is then cooked for two minutes and more sesame seeds are added. You can also flip the egg if you wish to cook the yolk more and toast the seeds. Basically, the egg should be covered on both sides with sesame seeds for the ultimate breakfast.