Some Thai Vegetables
During my early weeks in Bangkok, I didn’t have a car and my SIL was very kind to drive me to the wet market and supermarkets. But being a new “cook” (ahem, I never cooked for the past 9 years) I kept repeating some common dishes which are easy and quick to be prepared. 
But one day, I thought of preparing something new. I went to the wet market with hubby, and both of us could not speak Thai then. So, we were like chicken talked to ducks to the local sellers at the market throughout our “shopping” experience. LOL! That’s the first time I bought cha om, which is a type of Acacia leaf and it’s quite smelly.
It smells like our petai back home, but it’s less smelly if you fry it with eggs. It’s called cha om omelet, and it tastes quite nice. However, my first cha om dish was a disaster as I didn’t know the right way of cooking it. I thought it’s just like normal veggie and I stir-fried it with garlic. I didn’t know that we can’t eat the thorny stems and thus hubby and I could not chew the veggie at all even if it’s really cooked. In short, we dumped the dish away!!! LOL!
Only the top part is edible and there are thorns on the stems, so be careful when you are preparing the veggie.
Cut off the stems and use the top leafy part only.
Most Thai people like to eat blanched cha om with nam prik, but the smell is too strong to me.
Blanched Cha Om
I snapped some photos on how to prepare cha om omelet when the office staffs were preparing it.
Break the top part into smaller pieces and give them a good wash.
Beat some eggs and season the mixture with soy sauce.
Mix cha om into the egg mixture.
Make sure that the veggie is well covered by the eggs and let it soak in for a few minutes.
In the mean time, heat up the wok.
I feel that more oil is used when the Thai people are frying their eggs. It’s more like deep fried eggs to me.
When the oil is hot, stir in the egg mixture.
Deep fry it for a few minutes and turn over to the other side.
When it’s done, drain off the excess oil and serve.
There you have it! Cha om omelet.
Even my boy likes this dish, so it’s suitable for kids too. It will taste nicer if you eat the omelet with nam prik. Nam Prik is Thai chili paste and there are a lot of different types of nam prik.
Today’s nam prik, with pea aubergines (makheua phuang)
A closer shot of makheua phuang.
Maybe you have tasted pea aubergines with makheua (apple aubergines)…
…which are very common in Thai green curry.
I honestly think that today’s lunch is superb, especially the green curry and nam prik cha om omelet. Here’s a glimpse of today’s lunch…
If you are wondering, the first pic was yam (Thai noodle salad) which is sour and spicy and yummy. LOL!
I know I should have blogged about Thai green curry huh? But this post is way too long….maybe next time. Thanks for reading all the way to this full stop.
Mmmm… it looks wonderfull! I’d love to sit at your table today!
ah ha…. now i know what it is and how to cook it, thanks for the post! Thai always put a lot of oil to fry the omelette, become deep-fried omelette, tasty but not healty.
thanks for the info.. i’ve eaten the omelette before but did not know what was the veges name (cha om). hee.. so happy.
wow……how wonderful that yr lunch is so luxurious in taste everyday !!! thai herbs & recipes r really awesome…
Maudska, oh, my lunch has been wonderful since the office staffs start cooking for us. LOL! I’d be delighted to let you try the authentic Thai dishes.
Nicole, you bought the veggie before? I can’t find it at supermarkets, but only the wet market. How about your area?
Spunkz, do you like it? It’s quite unique huh? LOL!
Jacss, ya loh, everyday eat like that, I gain 1kg liao loh. LOL! I share some some Thai dishes here, since so many are interested.
makheua phuang : I love this. Can get this here in Sarawak too. We cook it with wild tapioca leaves and ginger. Comes up really nice.
Hey.. I love your photos on this site. How come it’s soooo nice?
You do take good food pix.
Wa.. I love Thai food ler.. share more recipe!! Btw, not bad also huh? The office staff all eat together and you can learn new dishes fr them.
Wena, oh, I’ve never tried makhuea phuang like that before.
ZMM, it’s because the photos here are snapped with DSLR, as for other blogs, some times just digital camera or phone.
Summore my kids super active, so I can’t take good shots especially if indoor or at night, even if I’m using DSLR. My skill still sucks. LOL! I’m still learning how to use the camera. 
Yaya, will try to share, I learn so much about Thai food after I moved here. Most of them are quite different from what we used to have at Thai restaurants back home.
yup. love it! prolly coz i love petai too. hee. twas a thai lady who used to make the omelette for us because she grew the cha om plant in her garden. she moved dy, so i never got to find out how the plant looks like or even the name.