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Khai luk khoei (son-in-law eggs)
Khai luk khoei: fried boiled eggs with tamarind sauce and crisp shallots
Khai luk khoei, son-in-law eggs, is a central Thai dish made for family meals and temple fairs, and a favourite way to turn a few eggs into dinner: boiled eggs fried until blistered and golden, halved and spooned over with a sticky tamarind, palm sugar and fish sauce sauce, then finished with crisp shallots and chilli. It contains fish sauce, so it is not vegetarian. The mistake is frying wet eggs in oil that isn't hot enough; dry them well and the skin puffs and crisps instead of spitting. Chef's tip: boil the eggs for 7 minutes for a jammy centre; give 10 minutes and fully set yolks for anyone pregnant, very young, older or vulnerable.
- Total time
- 27 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 4 eggslarge
- ¾ cup vegetable oilfor shallow frying
- 4 shallotsthinly sliced
- 3 tbsp tamarind paste
- 3 tbsp palm sugaror soft brown sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp water
- 3 dried red chilliessnipped into pieces
- 1 handful coriander leaves (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Lower 4 eggs into boiling water and cook for 7 minutes (10 for firm yolks). Cool under cold water, peel and dry very well with kitchen paper.
10 minStep 2: Heat ¾ cup vegetable oil in a small, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Fry 4 shallots, stirring, until golden, then lift out onto paper. Fry 3 dried red chillies for a few seconds until it darkens slightly and lift out too.
4 minStep 3: Turn the heat up a little and fry the eggs, rolling them, until the whites are blistered and golden all over.
4 minStep 4: Pour off all but 1 tbsp of oil. Add 3 tbsp tamarind paste, 3 tbsp palm sugar, 1 ½ tbsp fish sauce and 2 tbsp water and simmer, stirring, until thick and syrupy, like runny honey. Taste for sweet, sour and salty balance.
3 minStep 5: Halve the eggs, spoon the sauce over and scatter with the crisp shallots, chilli and 1 handful coriander leaves. Serve with rice.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khai luk khoei (son-in-law eggs) take?
- About 27 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 22 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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