Restaurant Sun Kam Kee, O.U.G: Salted Egg Chicken Wings

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Nobody can really give a firm answer to this age-old question. It has baffled theorists from both ends of the spectrum. At times frustrating, but it seems whichever side one chooses, there’s really no saying if one’s picked the right answer. I guess sometimes, why do we need to decide on just one when you can have both… in the same dish!

Of course having these two ingredients together shouldn’t raise much eyebrows, but have you heard about salted eeg with cooked with chicken wings before? Well, I haven’t that’s for sure.

Salted Egg is a Chinese preserved food product made by soaking duck eggs in brine, or packing each egg in damp, salted charcoal. In Asian supermarkets, these eggs are sometimes sold covered in a thick layer of salted charcoal paste. The eggs may also be sold with the salted paste removed, wrapped in plastic, and vacuum packed. From the salt curing process, the salted eggs have a briny aroma, a very liquid egg white and a firm-textured, round yolk that is bright orange-red in colour. The egg white has a sharp, salty taste. The orange red yolk is rich, fatty, and less salty. While most of the time duck eggs are used to make salted egg, it’s not unusual to find chicken eggs used too though the taste and texture will be somewhat different, and the egg yolk will be less rich.

- Source: Wikipedia/Salted Duck Egg

A few weeks ago, a couple of my friends were chatting via Whatsapp in their usual group chat/gossip room. These fellas can go on and on and on about everything under the sun and I usually pay the chats very little attention. That being said, there was a day when I needed a slight reprieve from work, I casually clicked on the chat room and voyeuristically watched over their conversation. And there they were making plans for dinner in mid-day and mind you, it was just right after lunch. But I guess that’s just normal by Malaysian standards. Ideas were tossed around, then came a peculiar sounding “Salted Egg Chicken” that piqued my interest. Long story short, I dove straight into the conversation and insisted on tagging along.

Hours later we found ourselves in a cozy old neighbourhood in the middle of O.U.G, and there in lies a row of old (but not the depleting sort) with a “dai chow” (a Chinese Big Fry kitchen) located in the corner lot. There’s really nothing special about the restaurant and is somewhat typical. No point getting all dressed up. Just dress comfortably in your weekend best and parked yourself in one their plastic chairs and admire the beer posters and lobsters hanging off its walls.

The moment of truth came when a platter (yes, a whole platter) of over 15-pairs of chicken wings, coated with salted egg and deep-fried to golden splendour. And not to forget the tiny sprinkles of fried curry leaves and chili padi too. It was crunchy, salty and addictive. The insides were juicy and fleshy. All the makings of a new form of comfort food.

For the rest of the meal, you can literally order anything here – Stir Fried Hokkien Noodles, Cantonese Egg Drop Noodles, Fried Rice, Stir Fried Vegetable of the day, or just any other source of protein done in any ways you want to fill your stomach up with. Once again, nothing much to shout about.

So, would I return? You can bet your bottom dollars I would for the chicken wings. Even if they cost a hefty RM7.00 a pair.

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