"Khai Palo" is a classic and delicious home-cooked dish that Thais have been familiar with for generations. In addition to the enticing aroma of spices, there's the pork belly and the flavourful Khai Palo eggs that are soaked in the broth. The more you eat it with rice, the more delectable it becomes.
But what are the secrets of making the five-spiced egg known as Khai Palo among Thais? What lies at the heart of Khai Palo? We ask the talented Chef Chumpol Jangprai from R-Haan, a two-MICHELIN Star restaurant in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2023, to find out and share the delicious recipe of 'Ancient Khai Palo,' so that everyone can make it at home.
Ingredients:
- 5 Ocha Eggs
- 200 grams, Cheeva Pork neck
- 200 grams, Cheeva Pork belly
- 50 grams, palm sugar
- 30 grams, brown sugar
- 3 coriander roots
- 5 cloves of garlic
- Corianders
- 1 tablespoon, pepper
- 20 grams, young ginger
- 50 grams, light soy sauce
- 10 grams, dark soy sauce
- 10 grams, tamarind juice
- ¼ teaspoon, salt
- ½ cup, vegetable oil
- 1 litre, vegetable stock
Methods:
- Set up a pot of boiling water and add a pinch of salt.
- Add the eggs and wait until they reach the boiling point for about 6-7 minutes.
- Peel the eggs and set aside.
- Pound the coriander root, garlic, and pepper together into Saamkler paste, the three essential components of Thai cuisine.
- Stir-fry the Saamkler with oil over medium heat until fragrant.
- Add stir-fried young galangal.
- Add palm sugar, slowly simmer until the colour starts to darken.
- Add pork belly and pork neck.
- Stir-fry until cooked until the pork begins to stiffen.
- Season with soy sauce, brown sugar and a little bit of dark soy sauce.
- Gradually add the stock and simmer for about 1 hour.
- Add tamarind juice to enhance the complexity of the dish.
- Pour into a bowl, sprinkle with coriander for aroma and garnish.
Tips from the chef: “Using high-quality ingredients such as eggs and pork is the key to crafting the perfect Khai Palo. To introduce a more delightful and textured experience, consider incorporating pork neck with an ideal balance of fat and lean meat. It's as simple as that – a recipe that allows anyone to create delectable five-spiced eggs.”
Illustration image and accompanied image: © MICHELIN Guide Thailand
