Five-spice eggs is loved by both adults and kids in Thailand. While the origin traces back to the Chinese diaspora which since has fully integrated into Thai society, the legacy remains of this dish which draws so many similarities between the Thai version and many around the Southeast Asian communities. Here’s a recipe for the Thai version, but please share with me the versions from where you’re from in the comments below!
Its origin in Thailand
When I posted this dish on my Instagram (which I highly recommend you give it a follow 😉) I had soooo many comments saying that there’s a similar version of this dish in where they were from – Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia. It’s crazy how we’re different but very similar!
In Thailand, five-spice eggs aka Kai Paloh is one of the many dishes that traces back to the Chinese diaspora that migrated South towards Thailand and the Malay Peninsula as far back as 1400s [source]. The Chinese settlers have fully assimilated into the communities so has the culture that they’ve brought over with, especially their cuisine.
Therefore, you will find that there are so many similarities with dishes that are local to many countries in Asia. We have an almost identical dish from Vietname called Thit Kho, as well as many variations of a braised egg dishes all over Asia.
Where can you find this dish in Thailand?
In Thailand, Kai Paloh is omnipresent in every corner of the street in Thailand. Curry tapas house (ร้านข้าวแกง – raan khao gaeng) can be described as a Thai version of fast food. The curry tapas is arguably the most popular lunch option for busy people of Bangkok. It’s an easy grab-and-go and economic option for people with limited time but is loaded with tons of nutrition. Not quite a three-pound-meal-deal is it?
At the curry tapas stall, you can find over 10 and sometimes, even 20 types of different dishes laid out. You pay for a plate and can choose the dishes that go on top of the rice. Kai Paloh is definitely THE dish that every curry tapas place will include as part of their menu.
What are the 5 spices in five-spice eggs?
The 3 musketeers – สามเกลอ
Most of the dishes in Thailand will include ‘the 3 musketeers’ as a base note of the dish (I translated that quite literally). These are garlic, peppercorns and coriander root. You will notice that I use this a lot to marinate meats as well as a base of many soups and curries.
I think the use of the combination of these 3 spices really makes Thai as you will not often see other Asian cuisines use coriander root.
Making the 3 musketeers
There are only 3 ingredients that make up the 3 musketeers – garlic, peppercorns and coriander root.
Traditionally, we use Thai garlic which is smaller and has very thin skin therefore it’s not necessary to peel them before using. It offers a more pungent and spicier than the regular garlic we’re used to. So if you are NOT using Thai garlic, do peel them first!
As for peppercorns, either black or white will do. So it’s down to your preference. I personally love them both. Because it’s really hard to find coriander roots in the UK, they tend to be really pricey. Therefore, I’d recommend substituting it with ground coriander which works wonderfully.
The proportion is generally 5 cloves of regular garlic to ½ teaspoon of peppercorns and ground coriander. Simply pound them into a rough paste using pestle and mortar. I typically prefer making these fresh when I need them as I have ten thousand other things in my freezer.
Saying that, if you are looking to make them in advance, a good tip is to make a big batch divide them into a rubber ice maker and store them as little cubes in the freezer. This tremendously shortens the time you spend on making dishes in the future. Trust me, these things are so versatile!
The sweet spice duo
Cinnamon and star anise is the perfect duo to add in braising dishes as well as sweet curries like massaman. An important tip is to not use the ground versions of the spices as they could be too strong and overpower the dish. So I recommend adding only a few whole star anise and cinnamon sticks. Before serving the dish, fish them out so you don’t accidentally bite into them.
Making your own five-spice eggs
It is easy to make Kai Paloh at home. Just a few simple key steps and you’re set! Time does most of the work.
Step 1: Marinate the meat
Whether you’re using pork belly, chicken wings or any other cuts. The most important step is to make sure you marinate the meat in advance. This can be as little as 30 minutes or overnight (obviously, the longer the better). Massage the marinade into the meat with tender love and care then set it aside in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. I recommend doing this the night before, though not necessary.
Step 2: Sear off the meat in the pan
I personally think that searing off the meat really adds to the flavours while also preventing the pieces to break apart when you braise them. Searing the meat will also give you the opportunity to deglaze the pan to extract even more flavour.
Most traditional recipes will not require you to sear off the meat but I think it’s really worth doing for a flavourful Kai Paloh.
Step 3: Making caramel
I have no definitive time or temperature for this, and to be honest, I don’t think you need it. Just heat the sugar up until it turns a straw-brown colour. Because you’ll eventually just dissolve the caramel into the liquid, the good news is you don’t have to be precise. Technical sugar work is complicated because of how the sugar sets/crystallise after it cools down but as we don’t care about any of that, it doesn’t matter.
Though, I still recommend not burning the caramel as the dish can be ruined by the burnt bitter taste (have definitely been there, done that 🙃). Also, I used coconut sugar in this recipe because it gives a beautiful savoury note to it but if you don’t have it, just go with any sugar you have.
Step 4: Simmer the five-spice eggs away
The ultimate secret to any flavourful braised dish is time. But did you know that you can also overcook the meat in a slow-cooked dish too? So, when it passes a certain time threshold you may find that the meat will start to turn dry when you keep boiling it at a high temperature for too long.
Thus, I recommend checking in on the texture every hour to make sure you haven’t gone too far. Just give it a little squeeze to see whether it’s nice and tender. When you’re happy with it, just turn the heat off and let it bathe in the braising liquid.
The second secret is to just eat the dish the next day. Like many casseroles and stews, don’t you find they taste so much better the next day? The meat gets a bit of rest and relaxes which softens the texture and makes it more tender. Meanwhile, the braising liquid has much more time to permeate both the meat and eggs resulting in a flavour explosion!
Make the five-spice eggs yours
For this particular recipe, I used pork belly alongside tofu and eggs. However, you will also commonly find chicken wings as well as drumsticks and thighs used instead. The methods remain the same. Give whatever meat you’d like a good tender loving marinade care before you cook.
I’d love to learn about your culture!
If you have a recipe from your home country, please drop them in the comments section below as I love reading about the different food cultures 💛
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