Thai omelette, locally known as ‘Kai Jeow’, is a fried egg dish typically flavored with popular Thai sauces. Fish sauce and soy sauce are the ingredients that bring forth true Thai flavors when combined with beaten egg and other components. This omelette is also quite different from its counterparts in other cuisines. Most omelettes are pan-fried and are supposed to be light-colored, little moist and creamy from inside; whereas, Thai omelettes are generally shallow-fried, fluffy from inside with crispy edges. Omelettes in Thai cuisine are also characterized by light and airy texture.
Traditional Thai omelette is considered a comfort food that is subtly flavored and has a great texture.
Thai Omelette Recipe Overview
Kai Jeow is particularly shallow-fried, but with changing trends and cooking techniques, the omelettes are now pan-fried with less oil in Thai cuisine. However, the flavor remains the same with a somewhat similar crispy texture as traditional omelette.
Thinly sliced shallots, ground pork, fresh oyster and crab meat along with herbs are some of the authentic and traditional ingredients that are included to make flavorful Thai omelettes. A bit oily omelette is highly favored in Thai cuisine. The trick behind the crispiness of the edges and a soft interior is to cook the egg in the piping hot oil for few seconds. Pork fat is considered the best choice to fry the egg; however, plant and vegetable based fats are also commonly used. Addition of lime juice or vinegar while beating the egg helps in obtaining a soft interior.
Serving and Eating of Thai Omelette
Thai omelette is a hearty breakfast dish, but it is much favored as a side dish in lunch and dinner meals. It is either topped over Thai noodles and rice or can be cut into wedges and served.
Trivia
A small amount of rice flour or cornflour added to the beaten egg helps in making the edges of the omelette quite crispy.