Today, I want to show you how to make Telur Balado. Telur Balado or Sambal Telur is a dish that is made of deep-fried hard-boiled eggs that are cooked in Sambal Balado. This spicy egg dish is simple yet offers an intense flavor that you will always be craving.
What is Telur Balado
For those who have never been to any part of Indonesia, I want to introduce you to the most addicting Indonesian spicy egg dish.
Telur Balado or Telor Balado is originating from West Sumatra, Indonesia. It's one of the most popular Indonesian dishes that you can find at any Padang restaurant or street food joint (Warteg).
It's a quick Asian dish that can be ready in 30 minutes or less if you store-bought hard-boiled eggs.
About this Sambal Telur Balado Recipe
Making your own Telur Balado at home isn't as complicated as it seems. Here's why you'll love this recipe.
1. Easy ingredients. You can find most of the ingredients at any grocery store near you.
2. Easy cooking method. You can still make a good quality Telor Balado with or without deep-frying. If you have an air fryer, use it to air fry the eggs then finish the dish in the skillet. I've done this method many times before to save on calories and fat.
3. Customizable. You can adjust the level of spiciness, saltiness, and sweetness according to your liking.
I love spicy food, therefore, I always use about 5-7 chilis per recipe. However, I don't recommend using a lot of chilies if this is your first time making Telor Balado. I think 1-3 chilies would be sufficient and you can always increase the amount of heat as you'd like the next time you make this recipe.
The Ingredients for Sambal Balado
For this Indonesian spicy egg recipe, you'll need whole eggs and Sambal Balado.
The Sambal Balado is made of fresh tomato, fresh red chili peppers, garlic, shallots, kaffir leaves, bay leaves, sugar, and salt.
The Kaffir leaf is one of the most staple ingredients in Thai and Indonesian cuisine. It adds citrus fragrance to any dish. It can be purchased fresh, frozen, and dried. If you can't find it in your area, feel free to skip it.
Red chili pepper adds a spicy kick to the dish. In addition, it gives a nice deep bright red color to the sauce. You can bring in red Jalapeno or Serrano chili pepper.
Fresno peppers are just slightly spicier and sweeter than jalapeno peppers.
How to Make Telur Balado
The cooking process of this Telur Balado is pretty simple. Here's how to make it.
Step 1. Cook Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Cover 6-8 eggs in a saucepan with cool water by 1-inch. Add about ½ teaspoon of salt into the water to prevent cracking and to make it easier to peel the eggs.
- Bring the water to a full rolling boil over high heat then reduce the heat to medium-high.
- Cover the pan and continue cooking for 8 minutes.
- Remove the boiled eggs from the saucepan and transfer them to a large bowl with ice-cold water. Let the eggs cool down for a few minutes then peel and pat them dry with paper towels.
Step 2. Deep-Fry the Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Heat enough oil over medium-high heat to 360°F.
- Fry the eggs until the skin turns golden brown. Remove the skillet and transfer to a wire rack set over paper towels.
Step 3. Make Sambal Balado
- In a food processor or blender, add tomato, shallots, garlic, and red chili peppers. Pulse until smooth.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook the puree Sambal Balado, bay leaves, and kaffir lime leaves until fragrant for about 3-4 minutes.
Step 4. Add the Eggs
- Add salt, sugar, and return the eggs into the skillet. Lower the heat to medium, simmer, and stirring occasionally until the sauce is thickened to your liking.
- Taste the sauce, add sugar and salt if needed.
FAQ and Cooking Tips
You can serve Telur Balado with regular rice or yellow rice.
Canned tomatoes are typically more acidic than fresh tomatoes. For that reason, I do not recommend using canned tomatoes unless that's the only thing available in your pantry.
Yes, you can but it may alter the overall flavor of the dish.
You can store the leftover Telur Balado in an airtight container. It can last up to a week in the fridge.
Check Out More Tasty Indonesian Recipes
📖 Recipe
Telur Balado (Indonesian Spicy Deep-Fried Eggs)
Ingredients
- 6-8 whole eggs (or use hard-boiled eggs and skip #1 step below)
- 2 oz shallots
- 11 oz fresh tomatoes (about 4 Roma tomatoes or 2 large beef steak tomatoes)
- 4 small garlic cloves
- 1-3 red jalapeño or fresno chili peppers (remove seeds)
- 5 small kaffir lime leaves (optional)
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
- 1 teaspoon white sugar (add more according to your liking)
- ½ teaspoon salt (add more according to your liking)
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola oil)
Method
- In a saucepan, cover the eggs with cool water by 1-inch and ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring the water to a full rolling boil over high heat then reduce the heat to medium-high. Cover the pan and continue cooking for 8 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a large bowl with ice-cold water. Let them cool down a bit then peel. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat ½ cup of oil over medium-high heat to 360°F. Fry the eggs until the skin turns golden brown for about 1 minute. Remove the eggs from the pan and set aside.
- In a food processor or blender, add tomato, shallots, garlic, and red chili peppers. Pulse until smooth.
- In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Cook the puree Sambal Balado, bay leaves, and kaffir lime leaves until fragrant for about 3 minutes or until oil separates.
- Add salt, sugar, and return the eggs into the skillet. Lower the heat to medium, add a small amount of water if needed, simmer, and stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes or until the sauce is thickened to your liking. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and sugar if necessary.
Heidy says
I was a little nervous when I started out making your Telur Balado recipe until I started to smell how delicious it was. I had never tried Telur Balado before and wanted to try something new, and I am so glad I did. Great recipe!
I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Rika says
Thanks, Heidi! I am glad that you stumbled upon this telur balado recipe.
Carrie Robinson says
Oooooo.... I have never heard of this dish before, but it definitely looks like something that I would enjoy. 🙂 Going to have to try this recipe soon.
Anjali says
I hadn't heard of Telur Balado before I came across your recipe but I'm so excited to try this dish! It looks flavorful and easy to make!
Catherine says
This sounds absolutely delicious! I've never tried drying eggs like this. I can't wait to give it a try!
Elizabeth says
So good! The flavors are complex and it's surprisingly simple to make. Thanks for a great recipe!
Rika says
You're welcome, Elizabeth! I am glad that you liked it.
Neomi says
Made for a lovely dinner (with a side of fresh salad.
Thank you!
Rika says
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Neomi! I am glad that you liked this telur balado recipe.