Crispy Fried Egg Salad (Yum Kai Dao)
User Reviews
5
Crispy Fried Egg Salad (Yum Kai Dao)
Description
This salad starts with a carefully prepared dressing combining Thai chilies pounded with palm sugar, then mixed with fresh lime juice and fish sauce to balance heat, sweetness, acidity, and saltiness. The eggs are fried in hot oil until the whites are bubbly and browned around the edges, with the yolks firmly set to allow chopping without mess. Once fried and drained, the eggs are sliced into pieces.
Alongside the eggs, freshly sliced red or yellow onion, chopped celery with leaves, tomato wedges, chopped cilantro, and roasted peanuts combine to contribute crisp, fresh, and nutty elements. Mixing these ingredients with the bold dressing creates a complex salad with multiple textures and bright, layered flavors typical of Thai cuisine.
Red chilies are preferred for the dressing to achieve a vibrant spicy note, though green chilies can be used if unavailable. The salad balances fresh produce with the richness of fried eggs and crunch of peanuts, suitable as a side or small meal. Careful preparation of the dressing and frying technique contributes to the dish's success.
Adjusting the chili level and using fresh ingredients in the dressing enhances the flavor balance. Scaling ingredients requires attention to units for accuracy.
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1-2 Thai chilies see note
- 1 ½ tablespoon palm sugar
- 3 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce see note, 1 teaspoon
Salad:
- neutral cooking oil as needed, for frying
- 4 egg room temp
- ¼ red onion julienned, or yellow onion, small
- 2 stalks celery plus a handful of leaves
- ½ cup tomato cut in wedges
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup peanuts roughly chopped or lightly crushed, roasted
Instructions
For the dressing:
- Add the chilies to a mortar and pestle and pound until fine. Add the palm sugar and pound to dissolve into a thick paste. Add the lime juice and fish sauce and stir to combine.
For the fried eggs:
- In a wok or an small non-stick frying pan, add about a quarter inch of oil. Heat the oil over medium high heat until very hot (you can add a little piece of onion as a heat tester, and once it's bubbling excitedly, the oil is ready to go.)
- Crack one egg into the oil, and if your oil is hot enough the egg white should start to bubble right away. Use a spoon to baste the top of the egg with oil as it fries, and keep going for about 2 minutes or until the yolk is set and the white is bubbly and browned around the edges.*You don't want the yolk runny for this because we will be cutting the egg into pieces. I like the yolk to be set, but not completely well done. Traditionally it is cooked well done.
- Remove the egg from the pan and let it drain on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
Assembly:
- Combine all the vegetables in a mixing bowl.
- Cut the eggs into six wedges, centred around the yolk so that there is a little bit of yolk in every piece.
- Add the eggs to the vegetables and pour the dressing over. Toss gently just to mix and plate. Top with roasted peanuts and serve with jasmine rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use red Thai chilies in the dressing for authentic flavor; green chilies are a substitute if unavailable.
- Ensure the frying oil is very hot to achieve crispy, bubbly, browned egg whites and fully set yolks.
- If scaling the recipe, adjust quantities carefully using metric units to maintain ratios, especially for mixed measures like "2 tablespoon + 1 tsp."
- The yolks should be set but not overly dry for best texture in the salad.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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