[Recipe] Shrimps in Salted Duck Egg Yolk Sauce

Shrimps in Salted Duck Egg Yolk Sauce. Photos: Flickr/Jep

I first tasted this sauce with mudcrabs in a seafood restaurant in Malaysia, and I've been hooked on its unique flavor ever since. I personally prefer it with shrimp, as I find the sauce adheres better to the shrimp meat rather than being mostly on the crab shells. Licking the shells clean may be fun, but I'd rather enjoy the sauce directly on the shrimp!

Notes on Ingredients

Salted duck eggs are sold differently depending on where you are. In the Philippines, they are called "itlog na pula," which translates to "red eggs" because they are dyed red to distinguish them from regular chicken eggs in the same supermarket aisle. These are already hardboiled, so you only need to peel them. In other countries, they may be sold raw and need to be cooked (I learned this the hard way when I bought salted duck eggs in Malaysia). Traditionally, salted duck eggs are made by coating duck eggs in a salt and mud mixture and letting them cure for a few weeks. Easier home methods involve brining duck eggs in a salt solution.

When I cook for myself, I seldom devein shrimp. However, if you're serving this dish to others, deveining the shrimp is the way to go for a cleaner (non-gritty) texture.

The thickness of the final sauce will depend on the roux. More roux will result in a thicker sauce. 

I personally do not use a lot of added salt in my cooking. Most of the ingredients are already salty like the fish sauce, the salted duck egg yolks, and although I deliberately omit it from the list of ingredients, I love using seasoning granules when sautéing for a more umami taste (the granules are basically MSG and salt with flavors of sautéed garlic and onion). So, adjust the salt level at the end.

I'm a big fan of salted egg yolk-flavored potato chips, and I'm thinking of experimenting with a flavoring powder to toss potato chips or French fries in.

Oh, and what do you do with the leftover salted duck egg whites? That part of the egg is where most of the salt ends up so it's going to be very salty. You can make ensaladang kamatis (a salad of diced fresh tomatoes) with it.

Ingredients

- 1/2 kg large shrimp (peeled and deveined, tails optional, keep the heads for the shrimp broth)

- 1 medium onion, diced

- 8 pcs salted duck egg yolks, separated from hardboiled salted eggs (sold in packs of 4, already cooked)

- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

- 2 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1/2 tbsp fish sauce

- 1/2 stick unsalted butter

- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Crunchy garlic bits (for garnish)

- Chopped spring onion or parsley (for garnish)

Equipment

- Medium-sized saucepan

- Decently-sized mortar and pestle

- Whisk

Instructions

1. Parcook the Shrimp: In a medium saucepan, sauté the shrimp in butter, salt, and pepper until just opaque. Set aside.
2. Sauté the Onions: In the same saucepan, add more butter and sauté the diced onions with salt and pepper over medium heat until caramelized.
3. Make the Shrimp Stock: In a mortar and pestle, crush the shrimp heads to extract the fat. Sauté the crushed shrimp heads in a bit of oil. Add about a cup of water, garlic powder, and fish sauce. Boil for 10 minutes, strain the shrimp shell bits (squeeze out as much liquid as possible), and set aside the stock. Alternatively, use shrimp bouillon but adjust for its saltiness.
4. Prepare the Salted Egg Yolk Sauce: Mash the salted egg yolks with a fork. Make a roux by heating the flour and vegetable oil in a saucepan until the flour turns a very light brown. Gradually add the mashed salted egg yolks and shrimp stock while whisking well to form a slightly thick emulsion.
5. Combine and Simmer: Add the parcooked shrimp to the sauce and let it simmer for a few more minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve: Serve the dish piping hot, garnished with crunchy garlic bits, and chopped spring onion or parsley.