Salted Egg Yolk Fried Squid (Sotong)

Clean the salted eggs by gently rubbing off the black clay coating over a piece of paper or newspaper. Then, rinse them thoroughly under running water until clean.

Carefully crack the cleaned salted eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Place the yolks on a small plate and the whites in a separate bowl (the whites can be used for other dishes).

Steam the salted egg yolks over high heat for 10 minutes. Once steamed, remove and let them cool slightly.

While the yolks are steaming, prepare the squid. If not already cleaned, clean the squid by removing the innards, skin, and quill. Then, cut the squid body into rings and the tentacles into bite-sized pieces.

Marinate the cut squid with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Mix well and set aside to allow the flavors to meld.

Once the steamed salted egg yolks have cooled, mash them finely using the side of a cleaver or a fork until they resemble coarse crumbs. Transfer the mashed yolks to a small plate.

Pluck the leaves from the curry sprig and finely chop the bird's eye chili. Set aside for later.

To prepare the squid for frying, first add 1 tablespoon of tapioca starch and 1/2 egg white to the marinated squid. Mix thoroughly to create a thin protective layer.

Next, place about 1/2 cup of tapioca starch in a separate bowl. Add the squid pieces and coat them evenly and generously with the starch, ensuring each piece is well covered.

Heat 2 cups of cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat until it reaches about 160-170°C (around 60% hot). Carefully add the coated squid pieces to the hot oil.

Deep-fry the squid for about 30 seconds until lightly golden and crispy. Remove the squid from the oil and drain excess oil. Set aside.

Increase the oil temperature to about 180°C (until it's slightly smoking). Add the fried squid back into the very hot oil for a second fry. This will make them extra crispy and golden.

Fry for another 30 seconds or until perfectly golden and crisp. Remove the squid from the oil and drain well.

Discard most of the cooking oil, leaving only a thin layer in the wok. Add 1.5 tablespoons of butter to the cold wok and turn the heat to low. Melt the butter slowly, stirring until it's fully liquefied and fragrant.

Add the mashed salted egg yolks to the melted butter. Stir continuously over low heat until the mixture starts to bubble and foam. If it's not foaming much, add another 0.5 tablespoon of butter and continue stirring.

Once the salted egg yolk mixture is foamy, add the chopped bird's eye chili and curry leaves. Stir for about 15-20 seconds to infuse the flavors.

Add 1 teaspoon of white sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of MSG to the sauce. Stir well until all ingredients are combined and the sauce is fragrant and bubbly.

Turn off the heat. Add the double-fried crispy squid to the salted egg yolk sauce. Toss quickly and thoroughly to ensure every piece of squid is coated with the rich sauce.

Arrange fresh lettuce leaves on a serving plate. Transfer the salted egg yolk fried squid onto the lettuce and serve immediately.