Spicy eggs worth a crack
FROM theatre to the big screen, there is an all-too-familiar trope about over-protective fathers and how they deal with the inevitable day when their daughters bring home a date. It generally involves a firm handshake and strong eye contact while taking a break from cleaning a rifle.
Taken together, the message is pretty clear.
But to be honest, the rifle is probably unnecessary. As a 16-year-old, I was only too certain of the potential jeopardy I faced when the father of a girl with whom I proposed nothing more questionable than a trip to the movies, quietly inquired as to my intentions while crushing walnuts in a polished steel vice.
Believe me, we were home before curfew.
Yet fathers don’t get all the fun, for in some cultures that parenting role reverses.
Thai mothers are renowned for preparing a dish for their daughter’s budding suitor. It’s a simple recipe of soft-boiled eggs that are deep-fried until golden, then paired with crisp chillies, and a delicately sour sauce.
The significance should not be underestimated: do anything other than treat my girl with the utmost respect, and it will be your treasured eggs in the fryer, burning like chilli. And by eggs I mean … yeah, I think you got that.
Getting the eggs right is the real key to this dish. Use very fresh eggs and start them in cold water with plenty of salt. As soon as boiling begins, that’s when you start your timing. Three minutes for soft boiled, five minutes for hard. To make peeling easier, immediately plunge them into iced water as it makes the shell come away.
And be sure to use a food thermometer to check the oil’s temperature, as it really does need to be about 180C. You can pick up one of them from kitchenware stores starting at less than $10.
GETTING THE EGGS RIGHT IS THE REAL KEY TO THIS DISH.