Authentic Thai Omelette Recipe (kai jiew) (2024)

Published: May 23, 2014 · Modified: Dec 7, 2020 by Pailin Chongchitnant · This post may contain affiliate links

Kai jiew or Thai omelette is probably the first recipe most Thais learn to make, myself included. It's a strong contender for Thailand's national dish if "ubiquity" was the main criteria. Every Thai eats it, every Thai makes it, every Thai loves it because it is so easy, affordable and delicious.

It's a dish we turn to when we don't know what else to eat and the fridge is pretty empty. In this video I show you 2 different ways to make it!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

There are only 2 ingredients you need for this, though like Western omelettes, you can start adding stuff to it, such as this classic Thai pork omelette. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

• Eggs. For my recipe, use large eggs to ensure that the ratio of fish sauce to eggs is correct.
• Fish sauce. This is the key to the umami deliciousness of this omelette! See my post here for how to choose good fish sauce. If you are vegetarian you and use soy sauce instead.

Two Ways to Make Thai Omelette

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial because it is all in the technique. You'll have a much better understanding of what to do once you watch it!

Method 1: Prettier, crispier, but uses more oil (Images 1, 2 above)

This method is used often in restaurants when looks matter more than ease and oiliness! You'll get evenly browned eggs with beautiful crispy edges, but you'll need a lot of oil.

1. Beat eggs and fish sauce well with a fork until there are no more goopy bits of egg whites still intact.
2. Heat half an inch of oil in a round-bottomed wok, a small pot, or a small sauté pan.
   When oil is very hot, pour the beaten eggs in all at once and let cook undisturbed until the underside of the egg is browned.
3. Flip the egg and let the other side cook for a few more seconds just to set.
4. Serve with jasmine rice and Thai Sriracha hot sauce.

Method 2: Less oil, less time, but not as pretty (Images 3,4 above)

This method is what I do most of the time at home. It's faster cuz you don't have to wait for lots of oil to heat up, and you'll end up consuming less oil, but it isn't as pretty or crispy, and the egg is a little harder to flip. Still great though!

1. Beat eggs and fish sauce well with a fork until there are no more goopy bits of egg whites still intact.
2. In a wok or a small sauté pan (8-inch for 2 eggs, and up to 3 eggs). Add enough oil to coat the bottom and heat over medium high heat until very hot.
3. Pour in the eggs, and keep pushing the edges of the egg inward to allow the raw egg to run to the side and come into contact with the pan.
4. When the egg is set enough to flip, flip the omelette either by tossing or with a big pancake-turner, and cook the other side for a few more seconds just to set.
5. Serve with jasmine rice and Thai Sriracha hot sauce.

Adding "Stuff" To Thai Omelette

It is extremely common for Thai people to make fancier versions of kai jiew by adding various kinds of meats into it. The most common version is to add ground pork (see my pork omelette recipe here), but you can also add tuna (my mom's favorite), chopped up shrimp, crab meat if you're feeling fancy, or really anything else you want!

All you need to do is mix it into the eggs after they've been beaten, and proceed with the frying as usual.

How to Serve Thai Omelette

Typically, Thai omelets are served as part of a shared family style meal, always with jasmine rice. While you don't have to put any sauce on it, the most common sauce that we use on kai jiew is a Sriracha-type hot sauce. For kids, my son included, they love to put ketchup on it!

If you're ready for some hardcore Thai food, then you gotta serve it with our classic shrimp paste dip or nam prik gapi.

What to serve with omelette? Because it is dry in nature, it's very common for us to serve some type of soup alongside a Thai omelette. A clear and comforting soup such as this glass noodle soup is very common, as is this light and spicy sour curry with shrimp.