Cover Image: Wilson Fok/ Tatler Dining Hong Kong

How do you like your eggs done? Scrambled? Poached? Tatler Hong Kong asked the experts on how to pick eggs for cooking our favourite recipes, and here's what they found out

An everyday supermarket carton of eggs is a staple in almost any cook's home kitchen, but is there a way to upgrade favourite foods with a more specialised egg selection? Also, which eggs work best in which recipes? From baking and fried rice to raw consumption and sunny side up—here's our guide to which eggs to pick for everyday (and special occasion) foods for optimum flavour, texture and eggs-thetics.

(Related: Eggslut to Open its First Outlet in Singapore Come 2021)

1. Best Eggs for Baking: American White Eggs

American large white eggs are excellent choice for baking because of their higher proportion of egg whites to yolks. Use them in recipes—including for chiffon cakes and souffles—that call for meringue.

(Related: Try This Pandan Chiffon Cake Recipe By V Dining Pastry Chef Joe Leong)

2. Best Scrambled Eggs: Organic Grain-Fed Eggs

An ideal scrambled egg dish has a soft and creamy consistency. The organic grain-fed egg is an excellent choice for this—and, broadly speaking, they're safer than conventional farm eggs to enjoy soft and lightly cooked.

(Related: The Best Brunches in Singapore 2020: Madame Fan, La Brasserie, Raffles Courtyard, Clan Café, Bochinche)

3. Best Pan-Fried Eggs: Thai Eggs

Thai eggs are great for pan-frying. The ratio of egg whites to yolk are almost 1:1, and the yolk tastes rich without any odd aftertaste.

4. Best Eggs to Eat Raw: Japanese Eggs

The popular tamago kake gohan, or Japanese-style rice with raw egg, is all about simplicity: a bowlful of hot steamed rice topped with fresh raw Japanese egg and a drizzle of soy sauce. Look for eggs that come from chickens fed predominantly with corn and cared for under strict health regulations. 

5. Best Eggs for Fried Rice: Hubei Eggs

The Hubei egg’s orange yolk makes it a vivid ingredient in fried rice. Crack the egg into the wok and use a quick tossing and turning motion with a spatula allow the deep yellow egg mixture to set in the pan’s heat.

(Related: The Easiest Fried Rice Recipes Shared by Chefs in Singapore For You to Try at Home)

6. Best Poached Egg: Spanish Eggs

The essential topping for Eggs Benedict is best made with Spanish eggs, whose lighter egg flavour gives richness but less of a cloying feeling when enjoying with butter-rich Hollandaise sauce.

7. Best Egg for General Healthy Eating Aficionados: Silkie Fowl Egg

The silkie fowl egg has all the essential nutrients of a conventional chicken egg without the high cholesterol content. The silkie fowl egg is best enjoyed hard-boiled which retains the egg’s nutrients, although the egg has a slightly gamier taste compared to a chicken egg.

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