Let’s be honest. When I think of the average American soup, I think cozy, heart-warming, but sorta boring.
A bowl full of warmth, but usually not packed with varying flavors and textures, which is fine for those times when you are sick and just need warm sustenance.
But Thai soup is a different story and bland and boring are adjectives unheard of when describing Thai soup, or really Thai food!
Something most American soups don’t have that make Thai soups pop out and frolic on your tongue, are the toppings like Thai Crispy Fried Shallots that give soups a crunch of delight.
Just typing the words Thai Crispy Fried Shallots makes me drool a little!
Just wait till you are stirring it up in your frying pan, as the shallots start to bubble in the oil and you smell a fragrance that makes you wonder if maybe you’ve stumbled upon the gates of heaven. Then when you bite into its delicate crispy crunch, the intensified sharp shallot flavor that magically elevates anything it is sprinkled on to the next level.
How to Make Thai Crispy Fried Shallots
It only takes 2 ingredients to make Thai Crispy Fried Shallots, and about 15 minutes. I know right! I would have thought that magical superpower ingredient would take way longer and there would be more to it?!
First, chop up a shallot into rounds. If you have a mandolin or a food processor with a mandolin attachement, it’s best to use that to make sure they are all the same width, so some don’t fry quicker than others and then burn and taste bitter. But if you don’t have one, just try to cut them all the same width as much as you can.
Add them to some good frying oil, like peanut oil, heat it up, and stir them, and keep stirring and watching over them like a first time mama with a newborn babe who is sleeping in her own crib for the first time. Aka, don’t take your eyes off them!
Be warned, if you don’t watch them they can go from golden brown to black in seconds!
Once they just start to turn golden, turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove. They still cook for a bit in the hot oil in the pan even after the heat is turned off.
Remove the shallots from the oil, and put them on a paper towel lined plate that can soak up the extra oil and help keep them crispy.
Please please don’t throw away that shallot infused oil, guard it like a secret golden treasure and hide it away in your kitchen until a day you need a quick flavor boost for a meal. Just wait till you see what it does when you use it for fried rice?! Or fried eggs! Or anything!
Mind blowing!
How to Use Thai Fried Shallots
Some of my favorite Thai noodle soups to put crispy fried shallots on are:
- Khao Soi
- Nam Prik Ong
- Sukhothai Noodle Soup
- Easy Thai Stir-Fried Ramen Noodles
- Thai Fried Rice
- Whatever your heart desires!
Don’t forget to share with me how you use your Crispy Thai Fried Shallots on Instagram, just tag me @thaifoodie. And if you have any questions feel free to DM or send me an email. Can’t wait to hear from you and see your creation!
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How to Make Thai Fried Shallots
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Looking for the best, easy way to add an extra layer of crunch and fun to your next dish that just needs something more? Thai Crispy Fried Shallots are it!
Ingredients
2 shallots, chopped into rounds, best to use a mandolin, or be like me, I have an attachment on my food processor that cuts them like a mandolin (but if you don’t have one, just make sure they are all the same width)
1/2 cup frying oil like peanut oil or vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Instructions
Put a fine mesh strainer next to or over the heatproof container you’ll put the shallot oil in. (We usually use a recycled glass jar.) Also, line a plate with a paper towel that you’ll put the shallots on once they are fried.
I usually use a wok, or you can use a small frying pan. No need to preheat the pan with oil. Add oil to your pan and shallots and then turn the pan to medium heat.
Stir the shallots off and on for 4-5 minutes or so until they start to sizzle.
Once they are sizzling, it’s time to turn the heat down to medium low, and keep vigilant watch, and stir another 4-5 minutes or so until they turn golden honey colored.
But the shallots can go from golden to black as coal quickly, so keep an eye on them, especially when they start changing color!
Pour the crispy, golden shallots into the fine mesh strainer, over the heatproof container, which you will save your glorious shallot infused oil in. Place the shallots on a paper-towel lined plate to cool off. Add salt to taste.
Once cooled, store the Thai crispy fried shallots in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Save the shallot infused oil in an airtight container of choice for up to 2 months.
Add crispy fried Thai shallots to any of your favorite Thai (or American!) dishes like:
- Khao Soi
- Nam Prik Ong
- Sukhothai Noodle Soup
- Easy Thai Stir-Fried Ramen Noodles
- Thai Fried Rice
- Whatever your heart desires!
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Topping
- Method: Stir-Fry
- Cuisine: Thai
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