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Khai toon (Thai steamed egg with pork)
Khai toon (ไข่ตุ๋น): soft steamed egg custard with a little minced pork and spring onion
Thai parents across the country make khai toon when a child is off their food or someone is unwell: eggs beaten with stock, a little minced pork and spring onion, steamed in a bowl until just set and wobbling. It goes on the table with rice and a stir-fry for supper and costs almost nothing. This version uses pork mince; for a vegetarian bowl, use chopped shiitake instead and season with salt or light soy sauce. It contains egg and fish sauce. Chef's tip: steam over a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil; high heat pocks the custard with holes and turns it spongy.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 3 eggslarge
- 1 ¼ cups chicken stock or watercooled
- 2 ⅞ oz pork mince
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
- 1 spring onionfinely sliced
- 1 tsp fried garlic in oil (optional)to serve
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Bring water to a simmer in a steamer or a wide pan with a rack.
Step 2: Beat 3 eggs gently with 1 ¼ cups chicken stock or water, 1 tsp fish sauce and 1 pinch ground white pepper without making much froth. Strain through a sieve for the smoothest result.
Step 3: Break up 2 ⅞ oz pork mince in a heatproof bowl so it is spread thinly, then pour over the egg mixture and stir in most of 1 spring onion. Skim any bubbles off the top.
Step 4: Cover the bowl with a plate or foil and steam over a gentle simmer for 12–15 minutes, until the custard is set and wobbles as one piece and a knife in the centre comes out clean, with no pink pork. The pork must reach 160°F.
15 minStep 5: Scatter with the rest of the spring onion and 1 tsp fried garlic in oil if using, and serve warm with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khai toon (Thai steamed egg with pork) take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 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 fish sauce?
- Soy sauce with a squeeze of lime (vegetarian).
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