What in the World is That? – Part 1

If you ever been to Thailand you’ve probably had the same experience when you came upon your first market. Smells and colors and bits of animals that you had thought were extinct, broths and curries, fried creatures great and small (and with all number of appendages), and dried sea creatures of all persuasions assail you simultaneously, leaving you with a blank expression and one question in your mind – what in the world in the world is this stuff?

So I thought I’d start it off light and build into some of the very strangest foodstuffs after we’ve had a chance to acclimate ourselves to the wild and wonderful world of Thai cuisine and look at the strange A.M. snack of grilled eggs.

What you see is not a parlor trick; those are in fact eggs, in their shells, that have been grilled on skewers – ki bing. Ki means egg and bing means grill, simple as that. The hole at the base is a bit wide on these eggs, it’s usually no wider than the skewer itself and a skewer is not always used. The effect is the same though.

 Before grilling the egg a small hole is poked in one end and ingredients like fish sauce and spices (depends on the kind of egg and the cook) are added and incorporated, then the egg is quite simply grilled on the grates like any piece of meat or vegetable. The end result is rich in flavor and brings an entirely new texture to the table.

The eggs end up quite firm and with a smooth, spongy sort of texture that is unlike any other egg preparation or dish of any sort that springs to mind; much firmer and without the crumbly nature of a boiled egg – at once smooth, soft, and elastic – almost rubbery but without offering the tooth any resistance.

Great breakfast on the go with a bit of sticky rice and a little sauce for dipping!

If you’d like to know what that strange looking thing is, and maybe how to make it,  check out our food and cooking tour and let our local experts give you an insider’s view of the incredible food Thai people eat every day.