Krapow Khai Yat Sai (Thai Stuffed Spicy Basil-Chicken Omelet)

This omelet is eye-catching and delicious from Jazz Singsanong, owner of Jitlada in Los Angeles, a thin sheet of egg folded is opened to reveal a delightful filling made consisting of ground chicken and Thai basil that has slightly caramelized and flavored using oyster sauce.

“We put this Khai Yat Sai on our menu because it’s a traditional, very comforting dish,” Singsanong adds. “We always want people to be able to experience food that we eat at home.”

Rich in umami and lightly caramelized, the chicken ground, tender red bell pepper, and fragrant Thai basil filling inside the omelet are bursting with flavor and have an underlying sweetness that is subtle and delicate. To make a striking presentation, cut an X at the top of your omelet and fold the flaps to see the spicy, delicious inside.

Ingredients

• One tablespoon Thai thin soy sauce (such as Healthy Boy) (see Note)
• One tablespoon of oyster sauce
• One tablespoon of granulated sugar.
• One teaspoon of white pepper
• Three tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• One tablespoon of ground Thai chile
• Two medium garlic cloves, roughly chopped (about two teaspoons)
• 8 ounces of ground chicken
• 1 Cup thinly cut Red bell pepper (from one tiny bell pepper of 6 ounces)
• 1/4 cup packed fresh Thai basil leaves (about 1/4 ounce), plus more for garnish
• Three large eggs

Directions

1. Mix one bowl of soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and white pepper. Set aside. Cook two tablespoons of oil in an oven-proof skillet 14 inches in size over medium-high. Add Thai garlic and chiles and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently to break the meat into smaller pieces, until it is no longer pink, around 6 minutes. Add basil and bell pepper Cook, stirring frequently, until bell pepper is soft and basil is blended, between 1 minute and 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce mix; stir frequently until the liquid has evaporated chiefly and the chicken has been browned in areas, around 30 seconds. Remove from the heat. Transfer the chicken mix to a bowl of medium size. Remove about 4 to five bell pepper pieces from the mix, and set aside to garnish. Wipe skillet clean.
2. Mix eggs in a large bowl, whisking until soft and frothy. Approximately 30 seconds. Bring the skillet back to the heat on medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and swirl it around to coat it. Add eggs and mix in a circular motion, allowing you to distribute eggs into an even layer. Cook in a quiet, uninhibited manner until eggs are cooked and begin to fall off the sides of the skillet, 1 min and 30 sec to 1 minute. Take off the heat.
3. Place chicken mix in the center of the egg sheet and cook in the skillet. Utilizing a spatula, fold the four sides of the egg sheet in over-filling, and then overlap inside the middle of the omelet. This will make a square pouch. Hold an inverted plate over the omelet, then flip the skillet and dish so that you can open the omelet, with the seam facing down, onto the plate. Cut a 4-inch X into the top layer of egg in an omelet with a small knife and leave a half-inch uncut at every corner. Fold egg flaps inwards to reveal the filling. Garnish with bell peppers reserved and some basil. Serve immediately.