Thai omelette (kai jiao).

Kai jiao is the everyday Thai omelette. It is beaten hard, poured into hot oil and fried until the edges turn crisp and the middle puffs up. It is cooked all the way through, and it suits a simple lunch or dinner over steamed rice.

Use eggs within their date and keep them refrigerated.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 pinch ground white pepper
• 150 ml neutral cooking oil
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
• Chilli sauce, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and pepper.
2. Beat with a fork for about 1 minute, until the mixture is frothy and no streaks of white remain.
3. Heat the oil in a small wok or deep frying pan over medium-high heat until a drop of egg sizzles at once.
4. Pour the eggs in from a height of about 20 cm, into the middle of the pan. The edges should puff and bubble straight away.
5. Fry for about 1 minute until the underside is golden. Flip and cook for another 30 to 40 seconds, until the egg is set in the centre.
6. Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel for a few seconds and serve over rice.

Tips

• Make sure the oil is properly hot. If it is not, the omelette turns flat and greasy instead of puffed.
• For a thicker omelette, add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped spring onion or minced pork to the beaten egg.
• Pour the used oil through a fine sieve once it has cooled and reuse it for another stir-fry within a few days.