Grilled Omelette (Kai Bpam)

Thai food doesn’t have to be complicated and these eggs are a splendid example of it. All you need are good eggs, good fish sauce and a fire (though a cast iron pan will do).

Serves 2 or 3 (with rice and the other dishes such as Mixed Vegetable and Fruit Salad dressed with Tamarind, Palm Sugar and Sesame Seeds (Yam Pak) and Jungle Curry of Salted Beef with Thai Basil and Green Peppercorns (Geng Bpaa bai Madan Neua Kem))

100g fresh banana leaves

4 eggs

2 tablespoons fish sauce

a pinch of white pepper

1 tablespoon chopped spring onions

First make a banana leaf boat. To do this you’ll need two pieces of cleaned banana leaf, one about 30 x 25cm and the other slightly smaller. Use the larger piece as the base, placing it so the darker side is facing down. Place the smaller piece on top with its darker side facing up. Now fold up one short end; gather and fold its corners together while curving up the long sides of the boat, then secure with a wooden toothpick. Do the same with the other short end.

Should you not have a banana tree handy, then you can use a small cast iron pan instead.

Combine the eggs with the fish sauce, pepper and spring onions. Pour into the prepared banana leaf boat and grill over hot charcoal (or cook in an extremely hot cast iron pan for 3–4 minutes) until the omelette is just set and the bottom is slightly charred.

Allow to cool somewhat before serving.

Grilled Omelette (Kai Bpam)