Asian Salted Egg Yolk Popcorn
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
5 mins
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Total Time
10 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
329 kcal
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Cuisine
Asian, Chinese, Singaporean
Asian Salted Egg Yolk Popcorn
Description
This recipe starts by steaming or hard boiling salted duck eggs, then mashing the egg yolks finely to form the base of the sauce. Butter is gently melted with curry leaves and optional chili to infuse aroma and mild heat. The mashed yolks are added and cooked until the sauce becomes thick and frothy, indicating the proper texture for coating.
Sugar is incorporated to offset the saltiness, and salt is added only if needed after tasting, as salted eggs vary in salt level. The sauce is then tossed with freshly popped popcorn to evenly coat each piece. The dish combines creamy, buttery flavors with the signature savory depth of salted egg yolks, enhanced by subtle spicy notes from the chili and aromatic curry leaves.
For best texture and flavor, this popcorn is eaten immediately after preparation. Leftovers should be stored separately between the popcorn and sauce to preserve crispness. Caution is advised when handling chili peppers to avoid irritation.
Ingredients
- 6 egg Steamed or hard boiled till cooked (about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the eggs), then mashed finely to avoid clumps in the sauce. If you're extra finicky, sieve the sauce after cooking for the finest possible sauce!, salted yolks
- 7 Tablespoons butter Works out to be 3.5 oz/ 100g. Don't use salted butter as we don't know how salty the egg yolks are (it varies from batch to batch, unsalted
- 2-3 prigs Curry leaf optional and feel free to add more if you want! These are usually not eaten (like bay leaves.)
- 1 chilli padi optional, substitute with big chilli or a pinch of chilli powder if you want some spice but not too much. Always remove the seeds if you can't take the heat!
- 2 teaspoon sugar Or, to taste. The sugar is crucial to balance the saltiness of the egg yolks and bring out the flavour to its fullest so do not skip it! Taste and, if necessary, add more. (Different brands of salted duck eggs have varying levels of saltiness. Homemade ones also taste different depending on how many days the eggs are left in the brine, so will require slightly different amount of sugar to balance the salt. Some may even require you to add a pinch of salt to the sauce, but always taste first to see if this is necessary!)
- Pinch salt Often, this is unnecessary, so taste first before adding!
- 5-6 cups Popcorn Click here for tips on how to make your own popcorn on an induction stove Use about 3 tablespoons of corn kernels to get approximately 6 cups of popcorn, cooked
Instructions
- Cook the eggs, preferably by steaming. Alternatively, you can also hard boil for about 10 minutes. Note: if steaming, you can separate the egg white and yolk before steaming! This way you won't waste any previous yolk! (If you separate after cooking, they you usually end up with whites in the yolks or yolks in the whites!)
- If boiling, peel and separate the yolks from the whites. Mash the egg yolks finely with a fork till they resemble breadcrumbs.
- Using medium-low heat, melt the butter then add the curry leaf sprigs and stir fry till fragrant. Add the chilli, if using and give the sauce another stir. (Do not allow the butter to brown.)
- Add the mashed yolks and stir till you see the sauce frothing up- this ensures that the sauce will be nice and thick.If you need a visual guide, scroll up to the Step-by-Step Instructions where I've shown a photo of the frothy, foamy, creamy sauce.
- Add the sugar and stir. (Alternatively, if you want the sugar to form a light crunchy layer on the popcorn, add the sugar at the end of the entire process!)
- Taste and, if necessary, add salt, stir then remove the pan from the heat (and switch off the fire).
- Allow the sauce to cool.
- Once cool, pour over the popcorn and stir till well-mixed.
Notes
- Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling chili peppers to avoid eye irritation.
- Consume the popcorn soon after preparation for optimal crispiness; if storing leftovers, keep popcorn and sauce separate and combine just before serving.
- Use the egg whites from the salted eggs in other dishes to avoid waste.
- Nutritional estimates are approximate and may vary.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 329 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 329kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 344mg | 115% |
| Sodium | 18mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 117mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 1173IU | 23% |
| Vitamin C | 36mg | 40% |
| Calcium | 47mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.