A traditional celebration dish, these eggs are enjoyed on New Year’s Day or at wedding feasts, and are taken as an offering to the monks when Thai people visit their local temple. They make good snacks. Deep-frying gives the skins a unique texture.
Ingredients
- 2 dried long red chillies, about 13 cm (5 in) long
- vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 4 oz (110 g) Asian shallots, thinly sliced
- 6 large hard-boiled eggs, shelled
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons tamarind purée
- 5 tablespoons palm sugar (jaggery)
How to Make It
- Cut the dried chillies into 5 mm (¼ in) pieces with scissors or a knife and discard the seeds. Heat 5 cm (2 in) oil in a wok or deep frying pan over medium heat. When the oil seems hot, drop a slice of the Asian shallot into the oil. If it sizzles straight away, the oil is ready. Deep-fry the chillies for a few seconds, being careful not to burn them, to bring out the flavour. Remove them with a slotted spoon, then drain on paper towels.
- In the same wok, deep-fry the Asian shallots for 3–4 minutes until golden brown. Be careful not to burn them. Remove with a slotted spoon, then drain on paper towels.
- Use a spoon to slide one egg at a time into the same hot oil. Be careful as the oil may splash. Deep-fry for 10–15 minutes, or until each egg is golden brown all over. Remove with a slotted spoon, then drain on paper towels. Keep warm.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, stir the fish sauce, tamarind purée and sugar for 5–7 minutes, or until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Halve the eggs lengthways and arrange them with the yolk upwards on a serving plate. Drizzle the tamarind sauce over the eggs and sprinkle the crisp chillies and shallots over them.
