Heart shaped imitation crab omelettes are creative mini egg omelettes made with imitation crab meat. They are perfect for someone who likes expressing their affection with their food!
Today I want to share an easy, simple and trendy Korean recipe called Heart Matsal Jeon (하트 맛살전). It means heart shaped imitation crab omelette.
I don’t know who came up with this creative Korean side dish originally, but I really love how it presents so cute and pretty. If you are into making bento style lunch boxes, this will hit the spot immediately.
I first discovered these heart shaped imitation crab omelettes on Instagram during the Korean harvest festival period (last week).
Jeon (전) is a type of Korean pancake, and it is very common to serve them during Korea’s festive holidays. Stuffed Shiitake mushrooms are also a type of pancake that people make during these times.
So when I spotted some Koreans serving these heart shaped imitation crab omelettes I thought it would be so fun and cool to make! So I decided to try it myself at home.
Making heart shaped imitation crab sticks are not difficult but it can be tricky as they may not be as flexible as you would like. Though the more you make them, the better looking your heart will be, so don’t get discouraged if they aren’t pretty on your first try!
Heart shaped imitation crab omelettes are cheap to make and only require 5 very accessible ingredients. I hope you give these a try soon and show your love to your loved ones!
Ingredients for Imitation Crab Omelettes (Makes 12 mini omelettes)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3 crab sticks (If frozen, defrost it first before using it.)
- Your choice of colourful vegetables (e.g. bell peppers/capsicum, carrots and chives etc), finely chopped
- Pinch of salt
- Some cooking oil (I used rice bran oil)
*Size of crab sticks before cut – 1.5 cm/0.6 inches (w) x 18.5 cm/7.3 inches (h)
**Required tool – 12 toothpicks or small sized skewers
How to Make Crab Omelettes
1. Cut the crab sticks. Each one down the centre, lengthwise and then down the centre again for each. (So now you have four long sticks.) Bend both ends of crab sticks inwards to make the heart shape. Put through toothpicks or skewers to hold the shape in place.
2. Mix the egg, your choice of vegetables and salt in a mixing bowl.
3. Heat a skillet over low heat and add some cooking oil. Place the heart-shaped crab sticks on the skillet and fill the hole with the vegetable egg mixture (about 1 Tbsp per heart). Cook them over low heat covered. Once the egg is cooked (about 8 mins later), remove from the heat. Cool them down for 5 minutes. Remove the toothpicks or skewers. (I didn’t turn over the heart during cooking to keep the heart colour pretty. Also, if you are picky about the visual presentation, you may want to cut the eggs that seep out outside of the heart boundary.)
4. Serve with some tomato sauce/ketchup.
Heart Shaped Imitation Crab Omelettes
Ingredients
- 2 eggs (large) beaten
- 3 crab sticks (If frozen defrost them first before using them.)
- vegetables - Your choice of colourful vegetables (e.g. bell peppers/capsicumcarrots and chives etc), finely chopped
- 1 pinch salt
- Some cooking oil (I used rice bran oil)
Instructions
- Cut the crab sticks. Each one down the centre, lengthwise and then down the centre again for each. (So now you have four long sticks.) Bend both ends of crab sticks inwards to make the heart shape. Put through toothpicks or skewers to hold the shape in place.
- Mix the egg, your choice of vegetables and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Heat a skillet over low heat and add some cooking oil. Place the heart-shaped crab sticks on the skillet and fill the hole with the vegetable egg mixture (about 1 Tbsp per heart). Cook them over low heat covered. Once the egg is cooked (about 8 mins later), remove from the heat. Cool them down for 5 minutes. Remove the toothpicks or skewers. (I didn't turn over the heart during cooking to keep the heart colour pretty. Also, if you are picky about the visual presentation, you may want to cut the eggs that seep out outside of the heart boundary.)
- Serve with some tomato sauce/ketchup.
Notes
Nutrition Info (per serving)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
