Salted egg yolk was one of the biggest food crazes of 2016 in Singapore1. The golden sauce was originally used in liu sha bao or golden sand bun2. Throughout the year, this delicious sauce has been used in a variety of dishes such as waffles and pizza3.
The origin of salted eggs can be traced back to sixth century China, where it was initially known as a peasant’s dish4. Salted eggs were traditionally prepared by soaking fresh duck eggs in salt brine for a month. Once the salting process was completed, the yolk hardened and changed its color into a deep orange hue5. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), consuming salted egg is recommended by physicians to reduce internal heat6. Salted egg is also used to treat diarrhea and the oil obtained from the yolk is used for eye care7. To date, many chefs and bakers incorporate salted egg yolk to create a unique plethora of dishes.
Fast-food giant McDonald’s came up with the salted egg yolk chicken burger, which was available for a limited time8 at their stores. Hana Restaurant launched its renowned flying salted egg skinny udon, where the Japanese noodles appear to be suspended in mid-air. It is best consumed by dipping in the salted egg yolk sauce to enhance flavor9. Talay Kata, a Thai Mookata buffet-style restaurant, offers salted egg soup broth to dip with chicken meat10. The broth is prepared using salted egg, seafood broth, whipping cream and special Thai herbs to create a savory and mild taste11. The Ritz-Carlton hotel serves their mini custard lava with vanilla moon cake that took four months of research before creation12. The molten filling consists of salted egg yolk, custard, and vanilla to create a distinctive flavor13.
However, not all salted egg yolk dishes use genuine salted egg yolk. Authentic salted egg yolk sauce is made by steaming and mashing brined duck yolks to create a mix. The mix is then fried with butter to create the sauce, which will have a savory taste and grainy texture14.
This process takes more than four hours, which can be time consuming. Many chefs prefer using manufactured salted egg yolk powder to save time and minimize effort15. However, the powder is made by using chicken eggs instead of duck eggs and it lacks the grainy texture of authentic salted egg yolk sauce16.
Once a peasant’s dish in China, salted egg yolk dishes are now a popular favorite among the masses in Singapore. With so many unique dishes that can be created when incorporating salted egg yolk as the key ingredient, one wonders what the next salted egg yolk dish will be.
References:
1 Straits Times. (2016). Chye tow kueh, salted egg yolk and milk tea: Food that grabbed headlines in 2016. [online] Available at: http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/food/chye-tow-kueh-salted-egg-yolk-and-milk-tea-food-that-grabbed-headlines-in-2016
2 Food Stuff. (2016). Asia’s Salted Egg Yolk Craze. [online] Available at: http://www.foodstuffsa.co.za/food-trends/food-trends-2016/4599-asia-s-salted-egg-yolk-craze
3 LadyIronChef. (2016). 21 SALTED EGG YOLK DISHES IN SINGAPORE – LIU SHA CROISSANT, FRENCH TOAST & WAFFLES. [online] Available at: http://www.ladyironchef.com/2015/07/singapore-best-salted-egg-yolk-dishes/
4 The Middle Ground. (2016). Is the salted egg yolk in your favourite liu sha croissant real? [online] Available at: http://themiddleground.sg/2016/04/03/is-the-salted-egg-yolk-in-your-favourite-liu-sha-croissant-real/
5 The Middle Ground. (2016). Is the salted egg yolk in your favourite liu sha croissant real? [online] Available at: http://themiddleground.sg/2016/04/03/is-the-salted-egg-yolk-in-your-favourite-liu-sha-croissant-real/
6 Michelin Guide Singapore. (2016). #HotRightNow: Salted egg yolks. [online] Available at:https://guide.michelin.sg/en/salted-egg-yolks
7 Michelin Guide Singapore. (2016). #HotRightNow: Salted egg yolks. [online] Available at:https://guide.michelin.sg/en/salted-egg-yolks
8 Straits Times. (2016). Queues form at McDonald’s outlets for new salted egg yolk burger, but is it worth the wait? [online] Available at: http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/food/queues-form-at-mcdonalds-outlets-for-new-salted-egg-yolk-burger-but-is-it-worth-the
9 Seth Lui. (2016). Hana Japanese Restaurant: Where You’ll Find Magical Flying Soba And Udons. [online] Available at: http://sethlui.com/hana-japanese-restaurant-flying-soba-udon/
10 DanielFoodDiary. (2016). Talay Kata – Salted Egg Seafood Mookata In Singapore. This Is Real. [online] Available at: http://danielfooddiary.com/2016/10/06/talaykata/
11 DanielFoodDiary. (2016). Talay Kata – Salted Egg Seafood Mookata In Singapore. This Is Real. [online] Available at: http://danielfooddiary.com/2016/10/06/talaykata/
12 Today. (2016). This year’s mooncake selection sees the salted egg yolk craze coming full circle. [online] Available at: http://www.todayonline.com/lifestyle/food/years-mooncake-selection-sees-salted-egg-yolk-craze-coming-full-circle
13 Today. (2016). This year’s mooncake selection sees the salted egg yolk craze coming full circle. [online] Available at: http://www.todayonline.com/lifestyle/food/years-mooncake-selection-sees-salted-egg-yolk-craze-coming-full-circle
14 The Middle Ground. (2016). Is the salted egg yolk in your favourite liu sha croissant real? [online] Available at: http://themiddleground.sg/2016/04/03/is-the-salted-egg-yolk-in-your-favourite-liu-sha-croissant-real/
15 The Peak. (2016). ENOUGH WITH THE OVERDONE SALTED EGG YOLK TREND, ALREADY. [online] Available at: http://thepeakmagazine.com.sg/2016/06/why-salted-egg-on-everything-needs-to-stop-now/ 16 The Peak. (2016). ENOUGH WITH THE OVERDONE SALTED EGG YOLK TREND, ALREADY. [online] Available at: http://thepeakmagazine.com.sg/2016/06/why-salted-egg-on-everything-needs-to-stop-now/