Kai Jiao (ไข่เจียว) – Crispy Thai Omelet from the Wok

Kai jiao is the omelet of everyday Thai cooking. You beat eggs with fish sauce and a splash of lime juice until foamy and pour them from about 20 cm up into a wok with 2 cm of hot oil. The mixture puffs up in seconds, the edge forms brown, crispy frills, and the middle stays soft. In Thailand you eat kai jiao on jasmine rice with sriracha, for breakfast or as a quick lunch.

By Laura Chen · November 4, 2026

20 Mintotal

2servings

620kcal

ThaiCuisine ›

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The oil has to be hot enough that a drop of egg foams up immediately, so about 190 °C. A teaspoon of cornstarch in the eggs makes the edge crispier. You flip the omelet after 1 minute, let it drain and cut it into pieces on the rice.

With just one egg in the oil, you fry Kai Dao, the crispy fried egg that sits on Pad Krapow Moo. You make the chili sauce yourself with the recipe for sriracha. A rolled, slightly sweet omelet from Japan is Tamagoyaki.

Image: AI-generated.

Kai Jiao (ไข่เจียว) – Crispy Thai Omelet from the Wok

Name: Kai Jiao (ไข่เจียว) – Crispy Thai Omelet from the Wok
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 6 eggs (size M); 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tsp lime juice; 1 tsp cornstarch; 250 ml vegetable oil for deep-frying; 150 g jasmine rice; 2 tbsp sriracha; 1/2 cucumber, sliced; Cilantro for garnish

Laura Chen

Servings

Prep time

5 minutes

Cook time

15 minutes

Calories

620

Cuisine

Thai

Ingredients

For the omelet:

6 eggs (size M)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp cornstarch
250 ml vegetable oil for deep-frying

On the side:

150 g jasmine rice
2 tbsp sriracha
1/2 cucumber, sliced
Cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Cook the jasmine rice following the package directions and divide it between two plates.
Whisk 3 eggs with half of the fish sauce, lime juice and starch in a bowl for 1 minute, until the mixture foams. Prepare the second portion in a second bowl.
Heat the oil in the wok to about 190 °C. A drop of egg should foam up immediately.
Pour the first portion from about 20 cm up into the middle of the wok. The egg puffs up and forms frills at the edge.
Fry the omelet for 1 minute, push the edge toward the middle with the spatula and turn it over. Fry the second side for 1 minute until golden brown.
Lift the omelet out with a slotted spoon and let it drain on paper towels. Fry the second portion the same way.
Lay an omelet on each plate of rice, add sriracha and cucumber and scatter cilantro over it.

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Kai Jiao (ไข่เจียว) – Crispy Thai Omelet from the Wok

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Kai Jiao (ไข่เจียว) – Crispy Thai Omelet from the Wok

Ingredients

For the omelet:

On the side:

Instructions

Reviews

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