Like it or not, salted egg yolk snacks are here to stay.
While the craze started in Singapore really started to take off in 2008, the ingredient isn’t exactly revolutionary — it’s actually been a staple in Chinese cuisine for centuries. From being served within mooncakes or on its own with a simple serving of Teochew porridge, the humble ingredient has come a long way since its beginnings.
To say Singaporeans were (and still are) obsessed with the salted egg yolk is quite the understatement. At the peak of its popularity, you couldn’t go two streets without finding something made with the bright, flavourful orange yolks. You could even get a cocktail at (now defunct) Operation Dagger, crafted with salted egg yolk, rum, and sweet caramel.
Salted egg yolk chips and fish skins are just some of the most common snacks around these days, usually bought as a gift for friends and family overseas. There are a ton of brands that sell them now, with the most popular ones being Irvins and The Golden Duck, so you probably already know where to get them.
Here, we’re spotlighting some other local makers that also make the savoury ingredient the star. From salted egg ice cream to cookies and bread, these are the our favourite salted egg yolk snacks in Singapore to try.
The best salted egg yolk snacks in Singapore to buy:
(Hero and featured image credit: Love, Afare)
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Lotus root crackers are a healthier alternative to the regular potato chip version. Full of vitamins and minerals, they’re also a great source of protein and dietary fibre. At least, that’s what we like to tell ourselves after we’ve polished off the whole box in one sitting. The usually salted crackers at Bakery Cuisine are especially addictive with the addition of salted egg.
This one’s for those who love strong flavours. Prawn chins — the area under the head of the shrimp that’s high in calcium — are deep fried and seasoned to perfection here at Love, Afare, before it’s tossed again in a gorgeous, mildly spiced golden salted egg yolk blend. Not the best thing for our diet, but that always starts tomorrow right?
Sinpopo’s cakes have a special place in our hearts, but you really shouldn’t be sleeping on their bakes. The Salted Egg Yolk Cookie with Curry Leaf is a crowd favourite for those in the know: think savoury salted egg yolk cookies that come with a beautiful crunch, before melting in your mouth with the lingering aroma of curry leaves.
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The Kampong Bakery is the online bakery to head to if you’re looking for a reimagined taste of the past. The Kampong Babka, in particular, is crafted with a mixture of laksa leaf, Thai basil, pine nuts, and parmesan, before its elevated with fine grains of cured salted egg yolk for a savoury loaf you won’t want to miss.
As much as we love feasting on salted egg yolk fish skins, there are days we’d rather a healthier alternative that’s still big on the crunch factor. Here’s where Crusty’s Salted Egg Soy Skin Crisps come in handy; made with rolled beancurd skin, these aromatic treats are doused with a generous mix of salted eggs and spices for an addictive touch. Did we mention they’re halal-certified and 100 percent preservative-free too?
Tom’s Palette actually crafted the Salted Egg Yolk Ice Cream flavour back in 2010, and 12 years later, the flavour has continued to remain as one of the parlour’s most popular signature flavours. A perfect balance of sweet and savoury, the icy treat is made with real salted egg yolks and is similar to the popular Liu Sha Bao.
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We might be cheating a little with Xian Dan Chao Ren, but we really couldn’t resist. After all, who’s to say no to small bites ranging from fried mantou to fried chicken all studded with salted egg yolk, curry leaves and chili padi? Our favourite buy has to be a takeaway order of the Ultimate Xian Dan Chao Ren, an assorted mix of fried chicken, fish, mantou, louts root, and pumpkin — best paired with a pack of beer or two at home. Besides the Vivo City outlet, Xian Dan Chao Ren also has another location in Waterway Point for fans in the North-East region of the island.
Jocelyn Tan
Senior Writer
Jocelyn Tan is a travel, food and design writer who loves to explore lesser-known cities abroad and chat with locals about their favourite eats in town. When she's not writing, she's probably indulging in serial killer podcasts or reading one too many books on East Asian history.
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