Two-thirds fill a small, heavy-based saucepan with groundnut oil and heat over a medium heat to 180°C/350ºF.
Break an egg into a ramekin or small bowl and gently slide it into the hot oil. After a few seconds, the egg will begin to fry. Use two wooden spatulas or spoons to lift any egg white that has spread out back over the egg to maintain a rounded shape.
After 1 minute, carefully turn the egg over in the oil so that it cooks evenly.
After 1½– 2 minutes, the egg will be crunchy on the outside and the yolk will still be slightly runny. Lift it out of the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
The sooner you serve the egg, the better it will be. It is best to fry the eggs individually, but you can cook two at a time if you do it very carefully.
