Khai Phalo: A Popular Thai Dish
Hello everyone, and a happy Saturday from Thailand! 😃
- Today, I have a beloved Thai dish enjoyed by people of all ages, Khai Phalo. The reason this dish is so popular is its deeply aromatic and complex flavour from the phalo spices, with a subtle sweetness and fragrance. The combination of soy sauce and sugar creates a delicious savoury-sweet (umami) taste. The hard boiled eggs and other ingredients absorb the rich braising liquid, resulting in an intense and flavourful bite.
- Besides eggs, many other ingredients can be added to Phalo. This can include pork belly, pork knuckle, pork ribs, fried tofu, or various chicken parts. Today, I'm using Chicken drumettes, which are a perfect size, and my kids absolutely love them!
Here is a simple recipe for Braised Eggs with Chicken drumettes that you can easily make at home.
Ingredients
- Chicken drumettes 10 pieces
- Chicken eggs 8
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Water 1 litre
- Phalo Spices (Star anise, Cinnamon stick, Phalo powder)
- Sam Klor (Coriander root, Garlic, Black peppercorns or ground black pepper)
Seasoning
- White sugar 3 tablespoons
- Palm sugar or coconut sugar 1 tablespoon
- Oyster sauce 2 tablespoons
- Light soy sauce 4-5 tablespoons
- Dark sweet soy sauce 1 tablespoon
- Chicken seasoning powder 1 teaspoon
- Salt 1 teaspoon
Instructions
Prepare the Eggs
Wash the eggshells clean. Place the eggs in a pot, cover with water, and add 1 teaspoon of salt (this makes them easier to peel). Boil for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, drain the hot water and immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water to cool.
Once cooled, carefully peel the shells. Marinate the peeled eggs with the dark sweet soy sauce and set aside.
Prepare the Chicken drumettes
Wash the Chicken drumettes thoroughly.
Briefly blanch them in boiling water for a short while to remove any impurities and blood. Drain and rinse with clean water again. Set aside to drain.
Make the Sam Klor
- Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic, coriander root, black peppercorns or ground black pepper together until a fine paste is formed.
Braising
- Heat a pan or a pot suitable for braising over medium heat. Add vegetable oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the Sam Klor paste and stir-fry until fragrant.
- Add the palm sugar. Add it gradually to avoid making it too sweet. Stir continuously over low heat until the sugar melts and forms a beautiful caramel colour.
- Add the prepared Chicken drumettes and stir-fry until they start to cook and are coated in the paste.
Simmer
- Add the marinated eggs and gently pour in the 1 litre of water, ensuring it covers the ingredients.
Add the phalo spices. Once the liquid starts to boil, season with light soy sauce, chicken seasoning powder (if using), oyster sauce, white sugar, and salt.
Check the colour of the broth. If it's not dark enough, add a little more dark sweet soy sauce. Stir well.
Let it simmer for 30 minutes over medium heat. After this, taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference.
Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for another 30 minutes, or until the Chicken drumettes is very tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Once done, turn off the heat.
Tips
Caramelizing Tip : Cooking the sugar with the aromatic paste is a crucial step. It gives the eggs and broth that beautiful reddish-brown colour and a rich fragrance without any bitterness.
Blanching Tip: Blanching the chicken first helps achieve a clearer broth and removes any unpleasant odours.
Tenderness Tip: Simmering over low heat for a longer time makes the chicken incredibly tender.
Serving
- Khai Phalo is perfect served over hot steamed rice. Pour some of that delicious braising sauce over the rice, it's amazing! It's also commonly eaten with instant noodles.
- Thais often grow up eating Khai Phalo, so it's a familiar comfort food that feels soothing and satisfying. In summary, it's a dish that perfectly balances flavour, nostalgia, and convenience, making it a enduring favourite for a simple, uncomplicated, yet utterly delicious meal. 😁
- So, what do you think of my Khai Phalo recipe? It's simple to make at home. Not only do you use fresh, clean ingredients, but you can also adjust the flavor to your liking. 😃
🙏 Thank you everyone for stopping by. Thank you for all the support and comments. See you again next time.🤗