Today is a lazy Monday, and I’m alone at home. What I want is a simple lunch, and what is better than making a Thai omelet?

There are only two ingredients required, egg and fish sauce, but it is insanely delicious. It is all because of frying the egg with plenty of oil until the edges turn crispy.

A Thai-style omelet is the easiest and tastiest thing anyone can make in the shortest possible time.

For sure, it is not the healthiest food, but indulgence once in a while is forgiving.

I will show you one of the simplest recipes I have written. Along the way, let me highlight a few points on how to make the perfect Thai omelet.

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Making a Thai-style omelet is simple. Just beat up the egg with the fish sauce until frothy, then pour it in plenty of oil until it forms an omelet.

Believe me that is insanely delicious. 

It is because of the cooking method: frying the egg in very hot oil until fluffy and crispy at the edges.

This method might be rejected by people who used to make omelets with smooth and unburned surfaces, the primary requirement of an excellent omelet in other culinary other than Thai.

This contradictory cooking method makes me wonder whether the Khai Jiao, as the Thai call it, should be classified as an omelet!

The gold standard of a French omelet is it should never get brown on the outside. In contrast, the Thai omelet must be browned nicely until it turns crispy at the edges. Otherwise, it will not be considered a proper Thai omelet.

When correctly done, the omelet is crispy at the edges, with a fluffy and light texture in the middle. This texture, coupled with the flavor after frying, makes it incredibly delicious.

Note:  The Thai-style omelet is called khai jiao in English. Some recipes also spelled it as Khai Jiaow or kai jeaw.

How to make the Thai-style omelet

You need a few techniques to get it done correctly, although it only needs two ingredients.

And, of course, you can add ingredients that you like to the egg mixture to switch it up to something more than just a plain omelet. Please refer to the following section for my suggestions.

Here are the steps to prepare the omelet, Khai Jiao.

1. First, crack two eggs in a large bowl.
2. Season the raw eggs with fish sauce, one teaspoon for one egg.
3. Beat the egg with the fish sauce until it is fluffy and homogeneous.
4. Heat sufficient vegetable oil at least one inch in depth in a wok.
5. When the oil is sufficiently hot, pour the beaten eggs about one foot above the wok. This height helps to create more bubbles and make it fluffier.
6. Maintain medium-high heat and do not disturb the egg for the first 20 seconds, to let the egg set. If your oil is at the right temperature, you will observe that the egg will puff up quickly.
7. After that, carefully move the egg slowly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
8. When the edges turn golden, lift the omelet with a spatula to check if the bottom has already turned golden brown.
9. Flip the omelet over and continue frying the other side for another 20 to 30 seconds.
10. Remove the omelet with a large wire mesh strainer when both sides have turned golden.
11. Transfer the omelet to a paper towel to absorb as much oil as possible.
12. Garnish the omelet with some spring onions (green onions) or coriander leaf to serve.

An alternative method to prepare Khai Jiao

This above method is the standard for making an excellent Thai omelet. However, it involves lots of oil and may not be the best option if you are health conscious.

Here is the alternative method, which requires less oil. In this case, you only need about a tablespoon of oil for two eggs. You need to use a nonstick pan to do this.

However, the egg will fluff up less, and the edges of the omelet will not become as crispy as in the first method.

Indeed, it is a trade-off between health and texture, but the flavor will be the same. You have to decide on which method to use.

Key points to make the best Thai egg omelet

Please read this section before referring to the recipe below:

• Before adding the oil, you must beat the egg thoroughly until it is light. This step helps to trap air inside the egg liquid and make it fluffy.
• You need enough oil to make it very crispy. I suggest adding the oil until it is at least half to one inch deep. A large amount of oil helps to puff up the omelet and prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
• The oil must be hot enough, about 180°C/355°F. You can measure it with a kitchen thermometer. The traditional way is by putting a drop of egg mixture into the oil. The temperature of the oil is perfect for making the omelet if the egg drops turn into little omelets and float immediately on the surface,
• If you are making the French-style omelet all this time, you have to change your perception towards the Thai-style omelet. It has to be brown on all sides with crispy edges.

Some common variations to the basic recipe

This Khai Jiao recipe is the simplest form of all. Some variations include adding minced pork and mixed vegetables such as chili, bell pepper, and Thai basil leaves. The omelet is also extremely delicious to have shrimp or crab meat.

The omelet is best served on top of white rice and with sriracha sauce.

Besides fish sauce, you can substitute it with soy sauce.  You can add other seasonings: white pepper powder, sriracha, oyster sauce, or even a squeeze of lime juice. I prefer to stick with my favorite fish sauce as that’s the most authentic flavor for Thai dishes.

Other Thai recipes for you

Here are some popular recipes on our food blog if you like Thai food.

• Pad Kra Pao (Thai stir-fried minced meat with basil) is Thai street food with fantastic basil flavor, best for a quick lunch. Try this if you have more time than just making an omelet!
• Thai green curry is the most well-known Thai food outside Thailand. Its taste is unique due to the use of green chilies. You can use a good quality store-bought Thai curry paste if you do not want to make it from scratch.