Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Indonesian Balado Eggs
印尼巴拉多辣蛋
Recipe overview
Indonesian telur balado lightly fries boiled eggs before coating them in a vivid chilli, tomato, shallot and garlic sauce.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 8 eggs
- 2 medium tomatoes (cut into wedges)
- 6 shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 8 red bird’s-eye chillies
- 1 lime
Spices and seasoning
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 120 ml water
02
Tools
- kitchen knife
- cutting board
- kitchen paper
- saucepan
- frying pan
- mixing bowl
- small bowl
- fine strainer
- kitchen tongs
- spatula
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- serving plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Inspect the eggs
Use 8 eggs with intact, uncracked shells and no off smell.
Step 2
Boil the eggs
Cover the eggs with water, bring to the boil and cook for 9 minutes.
Step 3
Cool the eggs
Transfer eggs immediately to cold water for 10 minutes to stop cooking.
Step 4
Peel and dry
Peel all 8 eggs, rinse off shell fragments and pat completely dry.
Step 5
Prepare the balado ingredients
Cut tomatoes into wedges, chop shallots, garlic and chillies, and squeeze the lime.
Step 6
Lightly fry the eggs
Heat 3 tablespoons oil and roll the eggs in the pan for 5 minutes until lightly golden.
Step 7
Remove the eggs
Lift the golden eggs onto a plate and leave about 1 tablespoon oil in the pan.
Step 8
Fry the balado base
Fry shallot, garlic and chilli over medium heat for 5 minutes until soft, darker and fragrant.
Step 9
Cook the tomato
Add tomatoes and cook for 6 minutes, pressing them down into a thick red sauce.
Step 10
Season the sauce
Add 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 120 ml water; simmer 4 minutes until thick.
Step 11
Braise the eggs
Return the eggs and roll them in the sauce over low heat for 5 minutes until evenly coated.
Step 12
Finish and serve
Turn off the heat, stir in the lime juice and rest 3 minutes before plating the eggs with thick sauce.
Common mistakes
- Overboiling makes the yolks dry with grey rings.
- Adding water before frying the paste leaves a raw chilli taste.
Tips
Pat peeled eggs dry to reduce oil splatter.
Reduce the bird’s-eye chillies for a milder family version.
