Salted egg has long been a prized ingredient in Asian cuisines, punching up sweet and savory dishes with bursts of umami. Its buttery rich and briny yolk, which shines in vibrant hues of yellow and orange, is commonly found in Chinese mooncakes, rice porridge and zongzi (sticky rice dumplings). It’s the ingredient of the moment in Los Angeles — chefs have even stuffed it into French toast and coated fried shimeji mushrooms with it.
The first record of salt-cured eggs dates back to the 5th century in China in a historical text called the Qimin Yaoshu, according to the Michelin Guide. Usually made with duck but sometimes chicken eggs, the whole egg or just the yolk can be cured with salt or soaked in a brine for days to months. The result is a dense orb that’s sometimes thought of as Asia’s answer to Parmesan cheese. When the yolk is mashed and heated with butter or oil, it transforms into a creamy and grainy sauce that’s earned the moniker “golden sand.”
Its versatility is seemingly endless: It adheres well to fried food or can be made into a custard for desserts. Singapore-based snack brand Irvins is an international sensation with its salted-egg-covered chips, which can be purchased at stores such as 99 Ranch and Costco. Find salted egg in a variety of dishes at Hong Kong-style cafes and in Filipino sweets, where it often serves as the springboard for new recipes. From Silver Lake to Pasadena, here’s a guide to the best salted egg dishes in L.A.
