Exquisite Royal Thai Cuisine: Latiang (Egg Net)

Latiang or “Egg Net” is an authentic Thai dish, originally only served to royalty.

Latiang was originally served in small 3-inch squares. However, Chef Pitipong  presents the dish in one grand giant piece instead.

This dish is a great test of the chef’s control of heat. If you want to taste it, it requires reservations in advance.

The Nuaa

There’s only a few restaurants in Bangkok that can provide traditional Thai royal dishes. Luckily, food lovers have the chance to taste them in New York, at The Nuaa.

The Nuaa received a Michelin recommendation in the first year after it opened, a very high honor. The standards since that time have not changed and they still retain their excellent reputation. And in 2015 Voter’s Choice “Best Asian NYC Restaurants”, The Nuaa was voted as The Best Thai Restaurant in New York by 15,000 food critics.

Chef Pitipong Bowornneeranart

The restaurant owner and chef Pitipong, who retains the traditional craft of the royal cuisine,
is in fact a second generation of overseas Chinese in Thailand. His mother worked in the Thai royal kitchen for more than ten years, so naturally, Chef Pitipong has gained access to some unique and flavorful Thai royal dishes he might not have otherwise.

Latiang (Egg Net) Ingredients:

• Eggs
• Cilantro sauce
• Ground chicken
• Diced jumbo prawn
• Lemongrass
• Kaffir lime leaves
• Cilantro
• Fried crispy shallots
• Shredded coconut
• Fresh shallot
• Bean sprouts
• Shredded scallion
• Green chili sauce
• Crushed peanuts

Latiang (Egg Net) Directions:

1. Use a copper double spouted funnel and drizzle beaten eggs over a lightly greased pan set on a medium-high heat to make a net. When done, carefully transfer to a serving plate.
2. To cook stuffing, heat up the pot with a drizzle of oil, add cilantro sauce, ground chicken, and diced jumbo prawns, and stir fry until fully cooked.
3. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, cilantro, fried crispy shallots, shredded coconut, fresh shallot, bean sprouts, shredded scallion, green chili sauce, and crushed peanuts and mix well in the pan.
4. Wrap the fillings with egg net and garnish.

Copper Cookware:

Chef Pitipong uses copper cookware in the kitchen whenever possible because it can help prevent food from discoloring and can also preserve the nutrients in ingredients.

Copper, often praised as the ultimate culinary metal, has characteristics which make it very desirable for cooking. Because it is such a good heat conductor, heat is transferred from flame or coil throughout the pan base and up the sides. The even distribution of heat cooks foods uniformly near the top of the pot, as well as at its bottom, and it cooks them quickly so there is minimal drying of moist foods.

Copper cookware, however, can cost thousands of dollars and are extremely heavy. Serious cooks generally have an assortment of pans made of different metals, each designated for a specific purpose. Frequently, the copper pots are greatly valued by the cook, and are commonly shined and displayed as prized possessions.