Deviled Eggs Recipe

Hard boil eggs

Place 12 large eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. As soon as the water boils, cover the pan, remove from heat, and let sit 10–12 minutes for fully set yolks. Drain and transfer eggs to an ice bath for at least 10 minutes to stop cooking and make peeling easier.

Peel and halve

Crack and gently peel the cooled eggs. Rinse to remove shell fragments. Slice each egg lengthwise and remove yolks into a medium bowl, placing whites on a serving platter cut-side up.

Make filling

Mash the reserved yolks with a fork until crumbly. Add 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp fine sea salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Stir or whisk until smooth and glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning: add a little more salt, pepper, or vinegar as desired.

Combine with Thai basil sambal

Reserve about 2 tsp of the prepared Thai basil sambal (see next section) to swirl on top for garnish. Fold the remaining sambal into the yolk mixture until evenly incorporated, creating a lightly spicy, herbaceous filling.

Pipe or spoon filling into egg whites. Transfer the yolk-sambal mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star or round tip, or use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped. Pipe or spoon evenly into the 24 halved egg whites. Chill while you prepare crispy shrimp for best texture.

Blanch basil

Bring a small pot of water to a simmer. Add the packed Thai basil leaves for 5–8 seconds, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to preserve color. Squeeze out excess water and roughly chop if desired.

Blend sambal

In a small food processor or blender combine the blanched basil, 3 red Thai chiles (seeds kept or removed depending on heat preference), 1 shallot, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp light brown sugar, 1 tsp fish sauce, 2 tsp neutral oil, and 1 tsp fresh lime juice. Pulse until coarsely blended — a slightly chunky paste is desirable. Taste and adjust: add more lime for brightness, sugar for balance, or a pinch of salt if needed. Set aside.

Prepare shrimp

Pat 12 small raw shrimp very dry with paper towels. Toss gently with 1 tbsp rice flour, 1 tsp cornstarch, and 1/4 tsp fine sea salt until evenly coated. Let rest 5 minutes so coating adheres.

Fry shrimp

Heat 1/2 cup neutral oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 350°F/175°C if using a thermometer). Add shrimp in a single layer without crowding and fry 1–1.5 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Remove to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. If necessary fry in two batches to maintain oil temperature.

Finish shrimp

While still warm, squeeze a little lime over the shrimp and set aside. Keep crisp — add to eggs just before serving to maintain texture.

Top each filled deviled egg with one crispy shrimp. Spoon or drizzle the reserved 2 tsp of Thai basil sambal over a few eggs for extra color and heat. Sprinkle smoked paprika or a pinch of ground chiles over all eggs for color and a hint of smoke.

Garnish each egg with a small Thai basil leaf and a scattering of micro cilantro or chopped chives if using. Arrange lime wedges on the serving platter for guests to squeeze over shrimp.

Serve immediately so the shrimp remain crisp. If made slightly ahead, keep filled eggs chilled and add shrimp just before serving.