Curry Leaf Chicken Legs with Salted Egg Yolk Sauce
With the incomparable fragrance of curry leaves and the richness of a salted egg yolk sauce, this recipe from Julie Lin is our new favourite way to cook chicken midweek.
Introduction
I became obsessed with salted egg yolk sauce after trying it at a restaurant in Singapore. It has an incredible, full-bodied flavour, a rich and velvety texture. There’s something so satisfying about salting your own egg yolks. The transformation of the yolk, as it solidifies, reminds me of an orange fruit pastille. Combined with evaporated milk – an ingredient used a lot in Malaysia due to the lack of fresh dairy farms – the richness is irresistible.
Ingredients
| 2 tsp | ground turmeric |
| 1 tsp | chilli powder |
| 4 | chicken legs, skin on |
| Vegetable oil, for frying | |
| salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| For the salted egg yolk sauce: | |
|---|---|
| 2 tbsp | butter |
| 2 | garlic cloves, peeled and minced |
| 3–4cm piece of | root ginger, peeled and minced |
| 4 | baked salted egg yolks (see Note) |
| 10 | fresh curry leaves, plus extra (optional) to garnish |
| 2 | fresh red or green bird’s eye chillies, chopped (optional) |
| 3 tbsp | evaporated milk |
| 1 tsp | white sugar |
| ¼ tsp | ground white pepper |
Method
Combine the turmeric and chilli powder in a small bowl, then season with salt and black pepper. Rub this spice mixture into the chicken legs and let them marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or ideally overnight.
Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a heavy‑based pan over a medium heat. Carefully lower the chicken legs into the hot oil and fry until golden and fully cooked. This should take about 10–15 minutes on each side, depending on their size. Once cooked, set the chicken aside on kitchen paper to drain any excess oil.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger, then fry until fragrant. Add the salted egg yolks and cook, stirring continuously, until it becomes a creamy, emulsified sauce. Add the curry leaves and chillies (if using), then stir for a further minute. Pour in the evaporated milk, then mix in the sugar and white pepper. Stir until the sauce becomes thick and creamy.
Once the sauce is ready, add the fried chicken and toss in the sauce until each piece is well coated. Serve hot, garnished with additional curry leaves, if desired.
Note: To salt egg yolks, cover the base of a shallow plastic container with fine salt, 2–3cm deep. Use a spoon to make dents, then add a yolk to each. Cover them with more salt, then refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. The yolks should now have a sticky, gummy texture, perfect for layering on rice. They keep for 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge, or bake them to use in sauces or sprinkle like Parmesan on top of dishes. Preheat the oven to its lowest setting (about 60°C/40°C fan), place the yolks on an oiled wire rack and bake for 3 hours until dry and hard. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months.
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