Sweet & Spicy Indonesian Balado Eggs

Ingredients:

• 10 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and fried
• For the Spice Paste:
  • 10 red chilies
  • 5 bird’s eye chilies (adjust to taste)
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 3 candlenuts
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 shallots
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (or palm sugar)
  • Optional: seasoning powder to taste

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Spice Paste:

   • Blend all the spices together until smooth. This includes the red chilies, bird’s eye chilies, garlic, candlenuts, salt, shallots, and sugar.

2. Cooking the Spice Paste:

   • Heat a small amount of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the blended spice paste and cook until fragrant, stirring occasionally.

3. Combine Ingredients:

   • Once the paste is aromatic, add a splash of water to the pan along with a pinch more salt and sugar. Stir to combine.

4. Add the Eggs:

   • Gently add the fried hard-boiled eggs to the pan. Stir to coat the eggs with the spice mixture. Allow the dish to cook until the water has mostly evaporated and the spices have thickened around the eggs.

5. Season and Serve:

   • Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, adding optional seasoning powder if desired. Once the spice mixture has reduced and coated the eggs nicely, remove from heat.

6. Serving Suggestions:

   • Serve warm as a delightful side dish or as part of a larger meal.

Tips for Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs:

• To achieve perfectly smooth and easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs, follow these tips: Boil the eggs for about 15 minutes, occasionally stirring to ensure that the yolks stay centered. Once done, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and let them cool before peeling.

Egg Selection Tip:

• When purchasing eggs, choose those with a darker shell color as they are usually older and easier to peel. Fresh white-shelled eggs tend to be more difficult to peel, as the membranes are more tightly attached.

Enjoy making this flavorful and spicy sweet Balado Eggs, and happy cooking!