A Thai omelette is what Thais call "desperate meal," meaning a dish we turn to when we're out of time, out of ingredients, or out of cash 🤣. Because even in tough times, Thais always have eggs and fish sauce in the kitchen!
But Thai people also love jazzing up this humble dish with all kinds of things, and in this case, some Vietnamese ham and Thai basil! Feel free to change the meat up - regular ham, bacon, spam, whatever you've got!
Also check out my classic Thai omelette recipe and also my Thai pork omelette recipe for the more traditional versions of this dish!
What is Vietnamese Ham?
Vietnamese ham is one of the most underrated ingredients for busy cooks. Imagine the texture of the meatballs you get in pho, but with a bit of a different flavour, and sliced into thin pieces. Perhaps you've had it in a banh mi! It's made by grinding pork until smooth with some seasonings, then shaping the mixture into a log and steamed. It's delicious, versatile, and it makes a great pre-cooked protein for a busy night!
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Other Recipes that Use Vietnamese Ham
In Thai cuisine, we use Vietnamese ham (called moo yaw) in Thai, in a few dishes. Most commonly we use it in salads. In fact, I came up with this recipe because I had some leftover Vietnamese ham after filming my All-Purpose Thai Salad Dressing recipe. You can also try it in a "Pan Eggs" Thai Breakfast recipe!
Aside from these, you can cut the ham up and toss it into fried rice, or add it to a bowl of noodle soup.
Vietnamese Ham Omelette with Thai Basil
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Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons neutral oil, or more as needed
- 4.5 oz Vietnamese ham, quartered then ¼-inch sliced (see note)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- A small handful Thai basil leaves, tear large leaves in half
- Sriracha-type hot sauce for serving
- Jasmine rice, for serving
Notes
FULL VIDEO TUTORIAL
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Subscribe to my YouTube ChannelInstructions
- Heat a wok or a large skillet until hot over medium high heat, then add just enough oil to coat the bottom. Add the Vietnamese ham pieces and let sear until the underside is browned, then flip and sear the other side. Remove from the pan and let cool slightly, leaving all the oil behind.2 Tablespoons neutral oil, 4.5 oz Vietnamese ham
- Beat the eggs and fish sauce in a small mixing bowl until there are no more egg white streaks. Add the Vietnamese ham pieces and the Thai basil and stir to mix.4 large eggs, 2 teaspoons fish sauce, A small handful Thai basil leaves
- In the same pan, now over high heat, add more oil as needed to the bottom is evenly coated in a thin layer of oil, then wait for the pan to get hot enough that a small amount of egg dropped into the pan puffs up immediately and excitedly.
- Add the egg mixture to the pan, and if the pan is sufficiently hot it should sizzle and the edges should cook immediately. Spread the ham pieces into a single layer, then turn the heat down to medium.
- As the edges firm up, use your spatula to pull the cooked edges inward and tilt the pan so the liquid egg runs out to fill the empty space. Repeat this all around the omelette in 3-4 spots. You can also make a hole in the center of the omelette to allow the liquid egg to flow underneath, the goal is to get the liquid egg from the center in contact with the pan so the egg sets quickly.
- Once the omelette is set enough that you think you can flip it without making a giant mess, you can go ahead and flip it in one piece with a pan toss if you’re able, or use your spatula to cut the omelette into 3 pieces and flip each wedge individually.
- The other side should cook in 15 seconds or so, so you can turn off the heat and transfer it onto a plate.
- Serve with jasmine rice with sriracha, enjoy!Jasmine rice, Sriracha-type hot sauce for serving
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