Spicy Thai Egg White and Holy Basil Scrambled Eggs

There are two things I hate more than anything: one, egg white scrambled eggs or omelettes. It’s just so pointless, tasteless and rubbery without the yolks. Why would anyone steal that away from their omelette or scrambled eggs?!?? But this morning I had 4 eggs worth of egg whites in the refrigerator staring at me. They were leftovers from batch of lemon curd I had made the other day. That’s where the second thing I dislike comes into play; I hate wasting or throwing away good food. It makes me feel sick in the stomach. So in desperation, to save these 4 egg whites, and add some interest, favour and joy into them I tried something that was a complete delight.

The Spicy Thai Egg White and Holy Basil Scrambled Eggs takes inspiration from the Thai Pad Kra-Pao Gai or stir fried chicken with holy basil (or tulsi). If you have egg whites lying around or a tulsi plant that needs pruning or if you just want to breakout of the monotony of regular everyday omelettes, scrambled eggs and bhurji, give this a try. Its packed full of bold and delicate flavours and ready before you know it.

 

• Servings: 1
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Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 3 teaspoons garlic, crushed to a pulp in a motar and pestle
• 1 teaspoon birds eye chillies, crushed in a motar and pestle (use regular green chillies if you can’t find birds eye chillies)
• 2 birds eye chillies or regular green chillies, sliced crosswise
• 20 grams holy basil or tulsi, no stems, just the leaves. Soak it in water and rinse thrice to get all the soil and dirt out (you’ll find tulsi leaves at your local florist or phoolwalla who makes flower garlands)
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce (skip it if you don’t like fish sauce, just remember to add salt to taste)
• 1 teaspoon jaggery
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. In a hot non-stick pan heat a teaspoon of oil. Whip the whites together with a pinch of salt and make a light scrambled egg. It should still be soft and not cooked all the way. Reserve for later.
2. In the same pan add one teaspoon oil and set it over a low flame. Add the crushed garlic and chillies. Gently fry these until it’s fragrant. Don’t let it brown. Now add in the scrambled eggs and stir the garlic and chillies in.
3. Now up the flame to a medium. Add in the fish sauce, jaggery, soy sauce and water. Mix well for a minute or until the sauces get incorporated into the eggs.
4. Now turn off the heat and add in the holy basil or tulsi leaves and give it a good stir . The leave will wilt a little as they add their subtle flavour to the eggs.
5. Adjust the salt with more fish sauce or salt, if needed.
6. Serve it immediately. It goes really well with a buttered pao, bun and steamed rice.

Recipe tweak to make Pad Kra-Pao Gai or Stir fried Chicken with Holy Basil: replace the eggs with 50 grams of boneless chicken, preferably thigh meat and add in 2 more tablespoons of water to help the chicken cook through. Add the holy basil in the end once the chicken is cooked through just as this recipe. It’s so simple to make and hugely flavourful. Goes amazingly well with sticky rice and a fried egg on top.