I made these for a dinner last night and got many compliments. They are very beautiful and the sauté makes the house smell lovely. If you don’t have access to the ingredients I have included some substitutes.
8 eggs
10 – 12 whole dried chiles
2 tablespoons sliced shallots or red onion
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin
1/3 cup palm sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate mixed with 1/3 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil for cooking
cilantro leaves
Hard-boil the eggs and rinse in cold water. Peel and set aside. Put vegetable oil in wok and add the eggs and fry until the eggs turn golden brown around the outer surface. Remove the eggs from oil and place on towel. In the same oil, saute shallots, garlic, and chilies until soft and slightly carmalized. Mix the sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind mixture and add to pan. Let it simmer and stir constantly until it thickens. Taste should be sour, salty and sweet. Turn off the burner.
Cut the eggs in half and place face-up on on a dish. Spoon sauce over the eggs and garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately; alternatively, you can put these in a serving dish in the oven on warm while you finish the rest of the dinner.
* or use granulated and stir to dissolve in sauce
** or 2 tablespoons soy sauce
*** or 1/4 cup ketchup