Thai Cuisine: Eggs with Tamarind Sauce – Kai Luk Koey or Kai Luk Keuy (Son-in-Law Eggs)
A delicious Thai dish that you usually cannot order in Dutch Thai restaurants is 'Fried Boiled Egg with Tamarind Sauce', or Kai Luk Koey (ไข่ลูกเขย). These are hard-boiled eggs that are then fried.
Whatever the origin of the name, Kai Luk Keuy is a delicious and flavorful dish enjoyed all over Thailand. The dish consists of hard-boiled eggs that are fried until they get a golden brown and crispy crust. Then the eggs are topped with a sweet and spicy tamarind fish sauce, which is prepared with tamarind paste, fish sauce, sugar and chili pepper. The dish is often garnished with fried shallots, coriander and red peppers for added flavor and texture.
Perfect taste
The taste of Kai Luk Keuy can be described as a perfect balance between sweet, spicy, salty and savory. The fried eggs have a crispy crust and a soft, creamy inside, which gives an interesting textural contrast. The tamarind fish sauce adds a sweet yet spicy flavor, while the fish sauce provides a savory undertone. The fried shallots and coriander give the dish a fresh and crunchy finish.
Kai Luk Keuy is a much-loved Thai dish that brings together the unique flavors of Thai cuisine, providing a flavorful experience for both newcomers and Thai food aficionados. The dish is not only easy to prepare, but also an interesting conversation piece due to its intriguing history and name.
If you want to prepare it yourself, you can. It's quite easy to make. You need:
- 3 large shallots, peeled lengthwise and thinly sliced.
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil, for frying.
- 8 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled.
- ½ cup very finely chopped palm sugar (or brown sugar).
- ¼ cup Thai fish sauce.
- 2 tablespoons Tamarind sauce (available at any grocery store).
- 3 tablespoons of water.
- Fresh coriander leaves.
You can shorten the preparation time considerably by buying pre-baked onions.
Preparation
Add the sliced shallots and 1/4 cup vegetable oil to a small skillet over low heat (it is imperative that you add the shallots to cold oil to prevent them from burning). Stir the shallots constantly until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove the fried shallots with a slotted spoon and place them on some kitchen paper.
Take another frying pan, add enough oil (about 2 centimeters). Place the pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully lower the hard-boiled eggs into it. Gently stir the eggs for an even browning. Once the outside of the egg is browned, remove with a slotted spoon, cut in half with a serrated knife and place the halved eggs on a plate.
Take the same skillet you used to fry the shallots and place it over medium heat. Add the palm sugar, fish sauce, tamarind and water; bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. When the sugar is completely dissolved, it should resemble brown syrup. Not too thick and not too thin. Spoon the sauce over the prepared eggs.
Sprinkle the fried shallots over the top of the eggs. Garnish with coriander leaves (and possibly with a fried pepper if you like it spicy). Serve the eggs with steamed jasmine rice.
Enjoy!
Video
Watch the video of the preparation here:
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Known as Khun Peter (62), lives alternately in Apeldoorn and Pattaya. In a relationship with Kanchana for 14 years. Not yet retired, have my own company, something with insurance. Crazy about animals, especially dogs and music.
Enough hobbies, but unfortunately little time: writing for Thailandblog, fitness, health and nutrition, shooting sports, chatting with friends and some other oddities.
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Kai Luk Koey (ไข่ลูกเขย)
Just the right statement if you want to order this dish:
Khài lôe:k khěuj , low, falling, rising tone, short –ai-, long –oe:-, long –eu- (the mute –e- as in 'the' but long)
I find it more interesting to know where the name Son-in-Law Eggs comes from. Do you know that Tino?
I envision an angry, disappointed mother-in-law taking revenge. Bye bye eggs.
Must have a good story behind it.
But correct writing and pronunciation is also important. With the (sometimes also strange) English spelling, you as a Dutchman will not succeed in ordering the delicious dishes that pass by here regularly. But it can be entertaining if you ask 'kai luk koej, for me please' (Dutch pronunciation) at a restaurant. They may think you want to chat with a chicken (kai koey).
คุย – khoey (mean tone) = chat, talk.
ไก่ – kài (low tone) = chicken
Dear Rob, if I show a picture of the dish on my iPhone, I get it too. Those who are not (language) smart must be handy.
“If a husband was not being a good husband (In Thai culture quite blunt: not performing very well), his mother-in-law would come over and prepare this dish. This was to make him understand that, if he wouldn't shape up, his egg shaped man parts would be in the pan the next time.”
https://www.thaicookingkohtao.com/recipe/son-in-law-eggs
Ha, ha. Now I look at the eggs differently.
Especially if at the first meeting with the family, the mother cooks and she puts a dish Khài lôe:k khěuj in front of you 😉
Also in the Netherlands, can be ordered at Mai Thai Oisterwijk.
One of the tastiest dishes out there!
There are/were (don't know if they are still there) of those ready-made onion sauce jars available at tops.
Had brought some with me, and then it was very easy to ride yourself.
Bake some boiled eggs in plenty of oil in the wok, drizzle a jar of sauce over it and you're done!!
Just very tasty, with some white rice or noodles… TOP !