Fried eggs settle into a pool of hot-and-sour cayenne sauce over rice. This shelf has nothing but heat and vinegar, so we build the dish from staples around it—quiet enough for a tired night, bright enough to wake you up.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 950 calories a serving, 25 g protein, 137 g carbohydrate, 34 g fat. From USDA figures for 86% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small pot, stir in 3/4 cup rice and a pinch of salt, then cover and reduce heat to low for 18 minutes until tender and water is absorbed.
2. While rice cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 small thinly sliced onion, and cook until soft and golden, about 8 minutes, stirring often.
3. Stir 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce into the onions with a tablespoon of water to loosen it into a thin, pourable sauce; let it warm for 1 minute, then transfer to a small bowl.1 min
4. Add 2 teaspoons more oil to the skillet over medium-high heat, crack 4 eggs into it, and cook until whites set but yolks stay soft, about 4 minutes, tilting the pan so hot oil crisps the edges.4 min
5. Spoon rice into two bowls, top each with 2 fried eggs, drizzle the cayenne sauce over the yolks and whites, and serve.

Note Swap the fried eggs for soft scrambled if you prefer them mixed in. Leftovers keep for a day in the fridge; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with sliced cucumber or a simple green salad on the side.