Salted Egg Yolk Calamari
Singapore-style salted egg yolk calamari — crunchy deep-fried squid rings tossed in a rich, buttery salted egg yolk sauce with curry leaves and chilli padi, perfect for zi char-style sharing.
About this dish
Salted egg yolk calamari is a modern hawker favourite in Singapore, the kind of plate you’d order to share at a zi char stall in a heartland hawker centre or tuck into at a weekend family dinner in the East Coast. The dish combines two beloved textures: a crisp, golden batter on the squid and a creamy, slightly grainy salted egg yolk sauce that clings to each ring. It’s indulgent, umami-forward and has that addictive savoury-sweet balance that makes it great with steamed rice or as party finger food.
At home, this recipe is straightforward enough for a weeknight treat but impressive enough for potlucks or festive spreads during Chinese New Year or reunions — imagine serving it alongside sambal kangkong, achar and a carafe of cold local beer. The sauce is made by cooking down steamed salted egg yolks with butter, curry leaves and a little evaporated milk to smooth it out; chilli padi adds a lift of heat if you like it spicy. Many zi char stalls toss the fried seafood quickly over high heat in a wok so the sauce stays glossy and clings to the crispy exterior — we mirror that technique here for the best texture.
If you shop in Singapore, you can find salted duck egg yolks pre-steamed at wet markets or vacuum-packed salted egg yolks and even salted egg powder in NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage or Sheng Siong, which makes the sauce even faster to assemble. Serve hot, straight from the wok — the contrast of crunchy calamari and rich, aromatic salted egg sauce is quintessential hawker-style comfort food with a modern twist.
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh calamari tubes, cleaned and sliced into 2 cm rings
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (for squid), or less if using salty supermarket squid
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 60 g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 40 g cornflour (divide: 2 tbsp for batter, 1 tsp for sauce)
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten (for batter)
- 2 tbsp water (to loosen batter if needed)
- 1 litre vegetable oil (for deep-frying)
- 4 salted duck egg yolks (about 80 g), steamed for 5 minutes and mashed
- 40 g unsalted butter
- 3–4 curry leaves, torn
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1–2 bird's eye chillies (chilli padi), finely sliced — optional
- 30 ml evaporated milk or full-fat milk (to loosen sauce)
- 1 tsp light soy sauce (for a touch of savoury depth)
- 1 tsp caster sugar (balances the saltiness)
- 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry, to finish the sauce)
- 1 tbsp lime juice (to cut through richness), plus extra wedges to serve
- Optional: 1 tbsp salted egg yolk powder (if yolks are unavailable) or 1 tbsp grated parmesan for extra umami
Step-by-Step Method
- Pat the calamari rings dry with kitchen paper. Season lightly with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp white pepper; set aside while you prepare the batter and sauce.
- Make the light batter: combine 60 g plain flour, 2 tbsp cornflour and the beaten egg white. Add 2 tbsp water if the batter feels too thick; you want a coating that clings but is not paste-thick. Chill briefly in the fridge while heating oil.
- Heat the oil in a wok or deep-fryer to about 180°C (medium-high). Do a small batter test — it should sizzle and rise quickly. Fry calamari in small batches so the oil temperature stays steady, about 40–60 seconds per batch until golden and just cooked through (rings will curl slightly). Drain on a wire rack or paper towel.
- Prepare the salted egg sauce: in a saucepan or clean wok over medium heat, melt 40 g unsalted butter. Sauté the minced garlic, torn curry leaves and sliced chilli padi for 20–30 seconds until fragrant — be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add the steamed, mashed salted egg yolks to the butter and stir to combine. The yolks will become grainy; slowly pour in 30 ml evaporated milk while stirring to form a smooth, glossy sauce. Add 1 tsp light soy sauce and 1 tsp caster sugar; taste and adjust.
- Turn the heat to medium-high and add the cornflour slurry (1 tsp cornflour + 2 tbsp water) to the sauce to slightly thicken and make it cling to the calamari. Cook for 30–45 seconds until glossy but not too stiff.
- Add the fried calamari to the wok and toss quickly on high heat for 15–20 seconds so each ring is evenly coated — use tongs or a spatula. The goal is to keep the calamari crisp while the sauce adheres.
- Finish with 1 tbsp lime juice for brightness and an extra handful of torn curry leaves for aroma. Taste and adjust: add a pinch more sugar if too salty or a splash more milk if too thick — like at a zi char stall, tweak to your liking.
- Transfer to a warm serving plate, garnish with extra torn curry leaves and sliced chilli if desired. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice or as a sharing plate with cold beer.
Tips & Serving Ideas
- Buy fresh squid from your local wet market or supermarket (NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage, Sheng Siong) and pat very dry — moisture ruins crispiness.
- If salted egg yolks are hard to find, use 1 tbsp salted egg yolk powder reconstituted with a little butter or use pre-steamed vacuum-packed yolks sold in some supermarkets.
- Fry calamari in small batches and keep oil temperature steady at around 180°C; overcooking squid makes it rubbery — aim for 40–60 seconds per batch.
- Adjust spiciness with chilli padi: add more for a Tiong Bahru late-night crowd vibe or omit for kid-friendly versions.
- Make the salted egg sauce ahead and gently rewarm; toss the fried calamari at the last minute on high heat so it stays crispy.
- For a lighter version, shallow-fry the calamari or use an air-fryer (200°C for 6–8 minutes) but the texture will differ from the traditional zi char crunch.
- Leftovers keep well for 1 day but will soften; reheat briefly in a hot wok for best texture and serve with fresh lime wedges.
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