Growing up in Thailand, one of the foods we ate regularly as kids was Khai Jeow, or Thai omelet. It’s one of the easiest dishes to make, packs a lot of flavor, and can be enjoyed for any meal—breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Our parents loved making it because it’s simple, delicious, and the kids always loved it. Khai Jeow is so ingrained in me that whenever I see or smell it, I’m reminded of my grandma, who made it for me every morning before school.
Khai Jeow is so ingrained in Thai culture that it has become a staple in the street food scene, often found at night markets across the country. Mostly, Khai Jeow recipe will often consist of 2 main ingredients, eggs and fish sauce, and they are often fried in hot oil. To spice it up, Thai people often add extra ingredients into the mix, such as minced pork, minced shrimp, tomato, sweet basil, chili, or anything else they enjoy.
For this recipe, I’ve added a little twist to the classic dish by incorporating Horapa (sweet basil) to make it more aromatic and flavorful. Here’s a secret for you: to make the perfect Thai omelet with sweet basil, you need to fry the egg in very hot oil. This prevents the egg from absorbing too much oil and gives it a deliciously crispy texture. Now that the foundation is laid out, it’s time to start cooking! Continue down and follow my step-by-step guide!
If you're interested in more tasty Thai dishes, you might want to check out these recipes: Authentic Thai Holy Basil Pork with Rice (Pad Kra Pao Moo) Recipe, Authentic Thai Drunken Noodle (Pad Kee Mao) Street Food Recipe, Thai stir-fried Noodle (Pad See Ew) Recipe, and Thai Seafood Stir-Fry Yellow Curry with Rice Recipe.
To make this recipe, you are going to need:
- 2-3 eggs
- 1 handful of sweet basil
- ½ tablespoon fish sauce
- 3/4 cup cooking oil
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make Kai Jeow Horapa (Thai Sweet Basil Omelet) Recipe
1 Start by gathering all the essential ingredients for the Thai omelet with sweet basil.
2 Remove the sweet basil leaves from the stem, then wash and drain them thoroughly.
3 Beat the eggs with a fork until they become frothy.
4 Add fish sauce and sweet basil, then mix them together well.
5 Heat the oil in a pan or wok over high heat until it begins to smoke. Alternatively, drop a single basil leaf into the oil—if it’s hot enough, you’ll see it splatter and pop.
6 Pour the egg mixture into the pan. It should immediately sizzle and bubble up around the edges. Maintain medium-high heat and avoid disturbing the egg for the first 30 seconds to allow it to set.
7 Once the egg has set, check the bottom edges. If they’ve turned golden brown, flip the egg over.
8 Continue frying for another minute, keeping an eye on it to prevent it from burning.
9 When you remove the egg from the pan, you’ll notice that the oil doesn’t come with it—this means the heat was just right for frying. Serve and enjoy!
Other Thai Recipes You Might Like
Here are some of my favorite Thai that I think you might like. For more Thai cuisine, check out my Thai recipe page.
Kai Jeow Horapa (Thai Sweet Basil Omelet) Recipe
Kai Jeow Horapa (Thai Sweet Basil Omelet) is one of my go-to comfort foods and probably for most of the Thais. It’s crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and packed with the fragrant kick of sweet basil. It’s easy to make and can pair with almost everything. Here’s how to make a proper Thai authentic sweet basil omelet!
Ingredients
- 2-3 eggs
- 1 handful of sweet basil
- ½ tablespoon fish sauce
- 3/4 cup cooking oil
Directions
- Start by gathering all the essential ingredients for the Thai omelet with sweet basil.
- Remove the sweet basil leaves from the stem, then wash and drain them thoroughly.
- Beat the eggs with a fork until they become frothy.
- Add fish sauce and sweet basil, then mix them together well.
- Heat the oil in a pan or wok over high heat until it begins to smoke. Alternatively, drop a single basil leaf into the oil—if it’s hot enough, you’ll see it splatter and pop.
- Pour the egg mixture into the pan. It should immediately sizzle and bubble up around the edges. Maintain medium-high heat and avoid disturbing the egg for the first 30 seconds to allow it to set.
- Once the egg has set, check the bottom edges. If they’ve turned golden brown, flip the egg over.
- Continue frying for another minute, keeping an eye on it to prevent it from burning.
- When you remove the egg from the pan, you’ll notice that the oil doesn’t come with it—this means the heat was just right for frying. Serve and enjoy!
