Most people may associate egg salads with a mixture of hard-boiled eggs tossed with mayonnaise, but what I love about this recipe is how it dispels any reference to that version. Yum Khai Dao, a Thai salad made with fried eggs, a punchy dressing, and fresh vegetables, highlights the common household ingredient and pairs it with bold, bright flavors. Texturally, the salad is a party: Khai (egg) and Dao (star) references the burst a raw egg makes when it hits a wok or a high-sided skillet of piping hot oil. The egg whites crackle and crisp up while the yolk slightly coagulates but maintains its loose, runny center. The fried eggs get dressed in a salad with beautifully bold Thai flavors, including shallots, Chinese celery leaves, tomato, and herbs. The dish makes a great complement to larger meals but is equally as delicious enjoyed simply with a plate of steamed rice where the velvety yolk contrasts the spicy dressing.
What you’ll need
Fish Sauce
$15 At Amazon
Slotted Spoon
$14 At Amazon
Silicone Spatula
$22 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
15 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Dressing
¼
2
2
2
1
1
Salad and assembly
6
2
2
1
⅓
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Dressing
Step 1
Whisk ¼ cup fresh lime juice, 2 Tbsp. fish sauce, 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro, 2 Tbsp. finely grated garlic (8–12 cloves), 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. sugar, and 1 tsp. finely chopped red Thai chile (1–2 chiles) in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Taste dressing and season with salt if needed. Cover and chill until ready to use (you should have about ½ cup).
Do Ahead: Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
Salad and assembly
Step 2
Pour vegetable oil into a large high-sided skillet to come about ¼" up sides (2–3 cups, depending on the size of your pan) and heat over high until hot. Crack 2 or 3 of 6 large eggs into pan one at a time, taking care to not let them touch, and fry, using a spatula to dislodge any egg that is sticking to the bottom, until whites are crisped and cooked through but yolks are still runny, 1–2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to a large plate or baking sheet. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper. Repeat with remaining eggs. Once all eggs have been fried; set aside.
Step 3
Gently toss 2 large Chinese celery stalks or 1 large celery stalk, tender leaves reserved, stalks thinly sliced, 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced, and 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes in a medium bowl to combine. Tear celery leaves if large (don’t use more than ⅓ cup) and add to bowl along with about half of reserved dressing. Toss until evenly coated. Taste salad and season with more salt if needed.
Step 4
Spread half of remaining dressing over a platter in a thin layer. Arrange reserved fried eggs on top and spoon salad over. Drizzle remaining dressing on top, then scatter ¹⁄₃ cup (lightly packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems over and season with more white pepper.