Thai Son-in-Law Eggs
Around the World in 80 Eggs, day 11
This Thai egg dish might be one of my favourites of this series so far. The funny name is supposedly because once upon a time, a mother caught wind that her daughter was being mistreated by her husband, so she cooked up these eggs as a warning to him Kind of like a "if you don't treat my daughter right, this is what's going to happen to your eggs...."
This recipe for Thai Son-in-Law Eggs (Kai Look Keuy) takes the humble boiled egg to a whole new level. Imagine perfectly cooked eggs, nestled in a sweet and tangy tamarind sauce, adorned with a crown of crispy golden shallots. The flavour profile of these eggs were SO addictive... first time I made these I inhaled 4 eggs in about 5 mins. I had no expectations for these but I LOVED THEM so you should definitely save and try these as soon as possible.
They are my go-to dish to bring to a dinner party or potluck and it's always gone in a few minutes.
Ingredients
- 8 eggs, or more if you want
- 2-3 tbsp neutral cooking oil
- 2-3 tbsps tamarind paste, depends on which one you use
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 shallot, finely sliced
- 1 tsp red chilli flakes
- Small handful of fresh coriander
Pair it with
Instructions
1. Boil the eggs. For the perfect soft-centred eggs, or firmer if you prefer, here's how I do it:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, carefully lower the eggs into the pot using a slotted spoon. Set a timer for 6-7 minutes if you want runny yolks (perfect for that soft-boiled texture) or 8-9 minutes for slightly firmer, jammier yolks.
- While the eggs are boiling, prepare an ice bath (a bowl of cold water with ice cubes, or an ice pack to save on wasted ice!)
- As soon as the timer goes off, immediately transfer the eggs to the ice bath. Let them sit for at least 5 minutes to stop the cooking process and make the eggs easier to peel.
- Once cooled, gently tap the eggs on a hard surface and peel them under running water for a clean, smooth peel.
2. In a small frying pan, heat up the cooking oil and fry the shallots for 5-6 minutes until lightly browned and crispy. Remove the shallots and set aside on some kitchen towel to drain. Reserve the shallot oil for cooking.
3. In a small saucepan on a medium heat, add combine the tamarind paste, fish sauce and sugar and stir to dissolve.
4. In a large frying pan, add the shallot oil and fry the boiled eggs whole until the outside is wrinkled and golden. You may want to dry the outside of the boiled eggs first as otherwise they may splatter in the pan.
5. To serve, slice up the fried boiled eggs horizontally, and spoon over the tamarind sauce. Then add the crispy shallots, the red chilli flakes and finish with a little coriander. Enjoy immediately.
Video demonstration
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