Thai Crispy Egg Salad (Yam Khai Dao)
When most Americans talk about egg salad, they are usually referring to that classic mixture of chopped hard-boiled eggs and mayonnaise that is often smeared between two slices of untoasted white bread. This is NOT that. In this egg salad, a couple of super-crispy fried eggs are dressed with a sour, spicy, salty dressing and garnished with cilantro, shallots, and raw garlic. The combination may sound a bit strange to some folks, but trust me, it’s really delicious. The eggs are crispy and rich (with runny yolks) and the garnishes make the dish bright, punchy, and herbaceous. The best part is that this dish comes together VERY quickly and the only cooking involved is frying two eggs! This dish is best eaten with rice and works well as a side dish, appetizer, or even just a light lunch.
While there are many variations of Yam Khai Dao, this version is inspired by the one served at Soei Restaurant in Bangkok. All the food at Soei is amazing but this salad really stands out as one of my favorite dishes there. I tried to get the flavor pretty close from memory but I haven’t been there in a couple of years. Either way, this version is still delicious.
Frying The Egg
The most critical aspect to the success of this dish is making sure you get the eggs right. They should be puffy and have lots of crispy edges, yet still maintain runny yolks. If the eggs don’t have plenty of crispy edges, the dish loses a lot of textural interest and won’t taste very good. The trick to achieving this is shallow frying the eggs in about a 1/2 inch of very hot oil. I find the easiest way to do this is to use a wok. The oil will pool to the center of the wok, allowing you to use less, while still having the right “depth” of cooking oil. The shape of the wok also helps shield the hot oil (which will spatter heavily) from the flames of the burner.
That being said, you can certainly make this dish without a wok. I suggest using either a nonstick pan or a well-seasoned cast-iron pan. You may need to use a touch more oil and be a bit more careful when frying, but the results will be the same as cooking in a wok. Remember, when you fry eggs this way the oil will spatter heavily so make sure you are mindful of the flames and use a splatter guard if necessary.
Ingredients
When preparing a dish that is this simple, it is important to pay attention to the quality and condition of the ingredients. Here a few notes:
- Make sure the shallots and garlic are very fresh and vibrant. You will be eating them raw so you don’t want to use bruised-up and oxidized alliums. Skip the pre-peeled stuff and peel them yourself. You should also try to cut them not too long before serving if possible. This will reduce the off-aromas that sliced alliums get when they sit for too long.
- Use fresh, lively cilantro, and don’t be afraid to include some of the stems, they are very flavorful.
- Palm sugar is preferred but you will still yield great results if you use light brown or granulated sugar.
- I prefer extra-large chicken eggs but any size egg would work. Duck eggs are also very tasty in this dish.
Goes well with:
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Steamed whole fish with garlic, chili and lime
- Thai grilled chicken
- Green curry of chicken and eggplant
Thai Crispy Egg Salad (Yam Khai Dao)
Equipment
- Wok, cast-iron, or nonstick pan
Ingredients
- 2 chicken eggs (duck eggs also work well)
- 2 large cloves garlic – 8 grams (fresh, unbruised garlic. Don't use the pre-peeled stuff)
- 1/2 medium shallot – 8 grams
- 1/3 cup very loosely packed cilantro sprigs – 4 grams (keep the stems in there)
- pinch of ground white pepper
- neutral-flavored cooking oil, as needed
Dressing
- 1/2 Tbsp tightly packed palm sugar – 5 grams (or 1.25 tsp. granulated sugar)
- 1.5 Tbsp fresh lime juice – 23 grams
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce – 8 grams
- 1 Tbsp Fish sauce – 15 grams
- 2-3 red Thai bird chili, stem removed – 3 grams
- one dash Maggi seasoning (optional)
Instructions
Dressing
- Palm sugar often comes in compressed pucks. If so, use a knife to shave off 5 grams of sugar (1/2 Tbsp, tightly packed).
- Thinly slice the bird chilies. Combine chilies with the sugar and the rest of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well until sugar is dissolved. Set this dressing aside.
Crispy Egg
- Peel fresh garlic and slice to a medium thickness (2mm or just under 1/8th inch). Set aside.
- Peel and slice the shallot into a julienne. Set aside.
- Give the cilantro a very coarse chop. Set aside
- Preheat a wok, cast iron, or nonstick pan and add oil until it reaches about 1/2 inch in depth. Heat the oil until it gets very hot. You can test the temperature by adding a drop or two of egg white to the oil, it should bubble up and brown almost immediately. Carefully add the eggs to the hot oil. PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN FRYING AN EGG IN THIS MANNER, THE HOT OIL WILL SPLATTER. BE MINDFUL OF THE FLAMES AND USE A SPLATTER GUARD IF NECESSARY.
- If the temperature of your oil was correct, the egg should immediately start to bubble up and brown around the edges when it hits the oil. Allow the egg to cook for about 15 seconds.
- Once the bottom and edges have set, spoon some hot oil on top of the egg to start cooking the top. Continue to cook until the whites are set and there are lots of brown, crispy bits all around the edges. The entire cooking process should take no more than 30-45 seconds. If your egg has black burned bits, the oil was too hot. If it hasn't browned, the oil was not hot enough.
- Use a spatula or spoon to move the egg to a plate lined with paper towels. This will help absorb excess oil.
- Place the crispy egg on a plate and scatter the raw garlic slices, shallots, and cilantro on top. Drizzle the dressing over everything and sprinkle the plate with a pinch of white pepper.
