Thai Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Hoy Tod
Oysters sizzled on a screaming-hot griddle with egg and starch batter until crispy-edged and custardy inside — a beloved Thai street snack served with sriracha and fresh cilantro.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- Crispy
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes30-minute meals
Instructions
7 steps- 1
Whisk the rice flour, tapioca starch, water, and salt together into a thin, smooth batter.
- 2
Heat a well-seasoned flat griddle or wide nonstick pan over medium-high heat and add half the oil until it shimmers.
- 3
Pour the batter onto the hot griddle in a thin layer and let it sizzle undisturbed until it starts to set and turn slightly translucent around the edges, about 1 minute.
- 4
Scatter the oysters over the batter, then crack the eggs directly on top and break the yolks slightly, letting everything cook together without stirring too much so a crust can form.
- 5
Drizzle the remaining oil around the edges and let the mixture crisp and brown on the bottom, then use a spatula to break it into large rough pieces and flip, pressing down so the edges get crispy and lacy.
- 6
Toss in the bean sprouts and scallions during the last minute of cooking, folding them through just until barely wilted so they keep their crunch.
- 7
Slide onto a plate while the edges are still crackling and serve immediately with sriracha, fresh cilantro, and lime.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
64/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving125
Calories
8 g
Protein
18 g
Carbs
3 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Hoy tod is a Thai-Chinese street snack of oysters or mussels fried into a crisp-edged, chewy rice-flour batter and finished with egg and bean sprouts. It is a fixture of Bangkok night markets, where cooks spread the batter thin on a flat griddle so parts shatter while the center stays soft and gooey. The contrast of lacy crisp edges, custardy middle, and briny shellfish is the whole point, served with a bright chili-vinegar sauce.
Listahan note
This version aims for the signature split texture by frying the batter hard on one side while keeping the egg-bound center tender. It treats the shellfish as swappable so the dish works for different comfort levels with oysters.
Technique cues
- Spread the rice-flour batter thin and leave it undisturbed so one face crisps into the lacy edge the dish is known for.
- Pour the beaten egg over the crisping batter rather than mixing it in, so you get both crunchy and custardy zones.
- Add the bean sprouts only at the end so they stay snappy and fresh against the rich fried batter.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Whisk the batter and rinse the sprouts while the griddle heats and the oysters drain.
- Make-ahead
- Mix the batter and the dipping sauce ahead, but fry only at serving time since hoy tod goes soft fast.
- Leftover move
- Re-crisp leftovers in a hot dry pan and tuck into a soft bun for a snack the next day.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Scrape the griddle while still warm so the sticky batter lifts before it bakes on.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
oysters
main shellfish
Purpose: Plump oysters add a briny, creamy burst that defines hoy tod.
Handling: Drain well and pat dry so they crisp rather than steam in the batter.
Adaptation: Small mussels or even shrimp work for those wary of raw-style oysters.
rice flour
batter base
Purpose: Rice flour fries into the crisp, slightly chewy lattice that gives the dish its crunch.
Handling: Whisk with water and a little tapioca starch into a thin, pourable batter.
Adaptation: A rice-and-tapioca blend or all-purpose gluten-free flour mix gives similar crispness.
tapioca starch
crisping agent
Purpose: Tapioca adds the chewy stretch and extra crunch at the edges.
Handling: Blend into the rice-flour batter until smooth with no lumps.
Adaptation: Cornstarch works, though the chew is a little less pronounced.
eggs
binder and richness
Purpose: Egg poured over the batter creates the soft, custardy center that contrasts the crisp edge.
Handling: Beat lightly and pour across the half-cooked batter in the pan.
Adaptation: No clean swap holds the texture, so reduce batch size rather than omit.
bean sprouts
fresh crunch
Purpose: Sprouts add a crisp, watery freshness that lightens the fried base.
Handling: Rinse and add at the very end so they wilt only slightly.
Adaptation: Thinly sliced cabbage gives a similar fresh crunch.
green onions
aromatic finish
Purpose: Green onions lend a mild oniony lift that cuts the richness.
Handling: Slice and scatter over just before serving.
Adaptation: Chinese chives bring the same gentle bite.
Technique notes
- Use enough oil that the edges actually fry; a dry pan gives soft batter rather than the crispy lace you want.
- Wait for the bottom to set fully before flipping, or the delicate batter tears apart.
- Serve immediately, because the crisp edge is the dish and it fades within minutes of leaving the heat.
Ingredient swaps
- Shellfish-free direction
- Skip the oysters and make the egg-and-batter version (kai tod) with extra sprouts and green onion.
- Gluten-free direction
- Keep it naturally gluten-free by sticking to rice flour and tapioca and serving with a wheat-free chili sauce.
- Lighter direction
- Spread the batter thinner and use less oil for a crisper, less greasy result.
Serve alongside
- Sriracha or chili-vinegar dipping sauce
- Cucumber salad
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Tom yum soup
- Thai iced tea
- Cold soda water with lime
- Chrysanthemum tea
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Best eaten right away, but leftovers keep one day in the fridge. Reheat in a hot dry skillet to recover some crispness, never the microwave. Freezing is not recommended because the texture collapses on thaw.
Equipment
- Flat griddle or large nonstick skillet
- Wide metal spatula
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
Make this household-aware
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