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    Home » Seafood » Salted Egg Yolk Prawns (牛油黃金虾)

    Published: Mar 4, 2020 · Last Modified: Jul 28, 2020 by Jeannette ·

    Salted Egg Yolk Prawns (牛油黃金虾)

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    Salted egg yolk prawns on a board with lemon
    Salted egg yolk prawns with garnish and lemon
    Salted egg yolk prawns with garnish and lemon

    Indulge in our finger lickin’ Salted Egg Yolk Prawns! They’re fried until crispy then coated using a creamy yolk sauce. In a gorgeous golden crust, they’re here to impress with more flavour and extra crunch!

    Salted Egg Yolk Prawn Recipe

    This Salted Egg Yolk Prawn recipe is one that you can’t miss.

    Until recently, I’ve only ever had it at restaurants. I honestly believed there was no way I could ever enjoy Salted Egg Yolk Prawns in the comfort of my own home…unless it was taken away.

    But who wants soggy fried prawns when you can make them fresh straight out of the fryer?

    That’s where Dad came to save the day. Having had so much experience in the Chinese restaurant scene, he knew all the ins and outs of making this chef-quality recipe. 

    As soon as he plated the dish, all I could see was golden prawns generously lathered in a heavenly salted egg yolk sauce.

    When I tapped at the prawn’s wonderfully crispy shell, the buttery coating stayed in tact. This meant only one thing: every crumb of salted egg yolk flavour had been sealed onto the shell so every bite will be full of salted creaminess.

    It’s the most satisfying way to whet your appetite!

    What is salted egg yolk?

    Salted egg yolks in a container

    Salted egg yolks are a delicacy in Chinese cuisine, most popular in festive dishes and during celebrations.

    To Chinese people, their round shape symbolises the moon, making it a highly sought after ingredient during the Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. 

    Salted egg yolks are actually the yolks from duck eggs that have been preserved for months in brine. For a quick home version, you can simply cover egg yolks in salt with a touch of alcohol and leave them to sit undisturbed overnight. 

    Regardless of the method, the result is a semi-translucent bright orange yolk that is delicate but firm to touch. When cooked, they take on the colour and consistency of a yolk in a regular boiled egg. 

    The only difference is in the taste itself!

    What does salted egg yolk taste like?

    These golden balls are the ultimate luxury ingredient. The salted eggs themselves are not overly expensive, but the taste is exquisite. I can only think of three words: rich, creamy and grainy. 

    Not grainy in the dry, pasty kind of way, but grainy enough to give an exciting texture that cuts through the creaminess of a salted egg yolk sauce.

    They’re mildly salty and are often used to complement flavours in other dishes. You can find them in moon cakes, salted lava custard buns and even in croissants with the latest salted egg craze!

    Give them a try to see how they add a rich salted creaminess to the food!

    Should I keep the prawn shell on or off for my Salted Egg Yolk PRawns?

    When we eat Salted Egg Yolk Prawns at restaurants, it always comes with the shell on. Frying lightly battered prawns with the shell on is perfect for a few reasons:

    • It seals the prawn’s juices and flavours inside
    • The creaminess found in the head’s shell is retained with every bite
    • There’s a beautiful crunch that makes the dish so much more exciting!

    But if you’d prefer to have the shell off, then this is what you have to look forward to:

    • The prawns will be infused with the salted egg yolk flavour
    • You’ll enjoy a delicately light crunch with its crispy coating

    Whichever way you want to eat it, it’s bound to be fantastic!

    What you'll need to make Salted Egg Yolk Prawns

    Prawns in a colander, salted eggs in a dish and potato starch in its packet
    • 1 kg / 2 lb fresh prawns
    • 5 salted egg yolks (we get it from the local Asian market)
    • 50 g / 0.1 lb butter
    • 1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
    • 1 tsp sugar, or to taste
    • potato starch (as a batter)
    • cooking oil (for frying)

    How to make salted egg yolk prawns

    Salted egg yolks in a dish before and after being steamed

    Put the salted egg yolks in a steam-safe dish and steam on a high heat for 15 minutes.

    Minced salted egg yolk in a dish

    Let the cooked yolks cool slightly, then use a fork to mash them until fine. You can also use  a food processor to make the salted egg yolk even finer.

    Prawn held by a gloved hand with dotted lines across the tail and head

    Prepare the prawns by using scissors to snip off the sharper parts including the legs, tail and rostrum (the pointy end above the eyes).

    Wash the prawns in cold water and pat them dry using a paper towel.

    Prawns coated in potato starch in a colander

    Lightly coat each prawn in potato starch then let them rest in a colander. 

    Prawns frying in oil then on a paper towel on a plate

    Pour oil into a pan and fry the prawns on a medium heat for 10 minutes or until crispy.

    Melting butter in a pan

    To make the sauce, use a new pan (or reuse the old one) and melt the butter.

    Salted egg yolk cooking with butter in a pan

    Add the salted egg yolk, add the sugar and chicken bouillon powder and cook for 3 minutes. 

    Pour the fried prawns in and toss through the sauce until evenly covered.

    Serve immediately with a wedge of lemon or spicy mayonnaise!

    More Seafood party recipes

    Impress your guests with our tasty seafood finger food recipes!

    • Seafood Rolls
    • Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn)

    You can serve these at your next party or simply spoil your family for dinner. Just make sure you’ve made enough to share around because they’ll definitely go quickly!

    Lots of Love,

    Jeannette

    Salted Egg Prawns (牛油黃金虾)

    These Salted Egg Prawns are rich, creamy and full of umami flavour. Serve it at your next gathering for a crunchy finger food that's super fun to eat!
    5 from 12 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 6
    Author: Jeannette

    Equipment

    • food processor (optional)

    Ingredients

    • 1 kg / 2 lb fresh prawns
    • 5 salted egg yolks (we get it from the local Asian market)
    • 50 g / 0.1 lb butter
    • 1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
    • 1/2 tsp sugar, or to taste
    • potato starch (for frying)

    Instructions

    • Put the salted egg yolks in a steam-safe dish and steam on a high heat for 15 minutes.
    • Let the cooked yolks cool slightly, then use a fork to mash them until fine. You can also use  a food processor to make the salted egg yolk even finer.
    • Prepare the prawns by using scissors to snip off the sharper parts including the legs, tail and rostrum (the pointy end above the eyes).
    • Wash the prawns in cold water and pat them dry using a paper towel.
    • Lightly coat each prawn in potato starch then let them rest in a colander. 
    • Pour oil into a pan and fry the prawns on a medium heat for 10 minutes or until crispy.
    • To make the sauce, use a new pan (or reuse the old one) and melt the butter.
    • Add the salted egg yolk, add the sugar and chicken bouillon powder and cook for 3 minutes. 
    • Pour the fried prawns in and toss through the sauce until evenly covered.
    • Serve immediately with a wedge of lemon or spicy mayonnaise!

    Video

    Tried this recipe? Tag me TODAY!If you recreated this authentic recipe, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @wokandkin.

    SHARE YOUR CREATION!

    If you recreated this authentic recipe, I’d love to see it! Tag @wokandkin on Instagram with the hashtag #wokandkin! See you there!

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    « Chinese Watercress Soup (西洋菜汤)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Emily says

      March 05, 2020 at 8:54 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, this sounds AMAZING! I’ve never tried salted egg yolks like this before but the whole recipe just sounds absolutely delicious. Saving for later!

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        March 05, 2020 at 9:10 pm

        Thanks, Emily! I hope you love it when you make it!

        Reply
    2. rebecca says

      March 05, 2020 at 9:19 pm

      5 stars
      I can just taste these through the computer! YUM! Cant wait to make them

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        March 05, 2020 at 9:36 pm

        Thanks, Rebecca! I hope you love them like we do!

        Reply
    3. Kelly Anthony says

      March 05, 2020 at 9:38 pm

      5 stars
      These salted egg yolk prawns are beautiful and look perfectly cooked. They are sure to impress anyone!

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        March 06, 2020 at 7:27 am

        Thanks, Kelly!

        Reply
    4. Andrea Metlika says

      March 05, 2020 at 9:49 pm

      5 stars
      This dish is very intriguing to me. I’ve never eaten shrimp with the shells on nor have I had salted egg yolk.. These shrimp sound delicious.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        March 06, 2020 at 7:26 am

        It’s great to try even without the shell! I hope you get a chance to have it one day ☺️

        Reply
    5. Carrie Robinson says

      March 05, 2020 at 9:59 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my gosh! This looks & sounds incredible! 🙂

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        March 06, 2020 at 7:26 am

        Thanks, Carrie!

        Reply
    6. Abby says

      December 01, 2022 at 3:09 pm

      What do you do with the white portion of the salted egg?

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        January 04, 2023 at 4:26 pm

        Hi, Abby! We usually get the egg yolks on their own from the shops, but if you have any egg whites from the whole egg, you can try chopping it into smaller pieces and steaming it with eggs like we do here: https://www.wokandkin.com/steamed-three-colored-eggs/
        I hope that helps!

        Reply

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