• Home
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • EASY RECIPES
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • BY CUISINE
    • Asian Fusion
    • Chinese
    • Peranakan/Nyonya
    • CAMBODIA
    • LAOS
    • INDONESIAN
    • Indonesian Chinese
    • MALAYSIA
    • MYANMAR
    • SINGAPORE
    • Singapore Hawker Food
    • THAILAND
    • VIETNAM
  • BY COURSE
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • INGREDIENTS
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • SOURDOUGH
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • BREAD & BUNS
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • CAKES/COOKIES/PASTRIES
    • Cakes
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Cookies
    • Kue/Kueh
    • No-Bake Dessert
  • DIETARY
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Cooking
    • Christmas Baking
What To Cook Today
  • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT
  • Pantry
  • Shop
  • subscribe
  • Home
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • EASY RECIPES
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • BY CUISINE
    • Asian Fusion
    • Chinese
    • Peranakan/Nyonya
    • CAMBODIA
    • LAOS
    • INDONESIAN
    • Indonesian Chinese
    • MALAYSIA
    • MYANMAR
    • SINGAPORE
    • Singapore Hawker Food
    • THAILAND
    • VIETNAM
  • BY COURSE
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • INGREDIENTS
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • SOURDOUGH
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • BREAD & BUNS
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • CAKES/COOKIES/PASTRIES
    • Cakes
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Cookies
    • Kue/Kueh
    • No-Bake Dessert
  • DIETARY
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Cooking
    • Christmas Baking
What To Cook Today
What To Cook Today
  • Home
  • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT
  • SHOP
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • easy recipes
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • by course
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • ingredients
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • sourdough
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • bread & buns
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • cakes/cookies/pastries
    • Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Cookies
    • No-Bake Dessert
    • Kue/Kueh
  • dietary
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Baking
    • Christmas Cooking

Stir-fried Zucchini with Salted Egg Yolks (黃 沙 炒小南瓜)

written by Marvellina Updated: July 6, 2020
7.1K
PIN RECIPE COMMENTS VIEW RECIPE RECIPE VIDEO
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Zucchini slices are stir-fried in umami-rich salted egg yolks. Something so simple yet a very delicious side dish. The recipe works with other vegetables too.

Stir-fried Zucchini with Salted Egg Yolks (黃 沙 炒小南瓜)

Stir-fried Zucchini with Salted Egg Yolks (黃 沙 炒小南瓜)

Salted duck egg is a very popular ingredient in Asian cooking and baking. Recently the term umami is on the rise. While umami itself isn’t a new term anymore, in fact this umami term has been used for a long long time when the Japanese first discovered this umami taste. I’ve read from a magazine that umami is now our 5th taste. It’s hard to explain what umami tastes is like. Soy sauce, shiitake mushrooms, salted duck egg yolks and several other ingredients are said to give that umami taste.

SALTED DUCK EGGS

The egg white of the salted duck eggs are very salty and usually eaten with porridge dishes in our family. The egg yolks though have a very rich taste, and slightly salty, and that’s what has been referred to as umami. The egg yolks have kind of a “sandy” texture, and sometimes they are called golden sand in Chinese culinary.

SUBSTITUTE FOR SALTED DUCK EGG YOLKS

If you can’t find cooked salted duck eggs, you can try make your own salted eggs by using chicken eggs. The result is pretty similar. Salted eggs made with chicken eggs are smaller in size.

HOW TO MAKE STIR-FRIED ZUCCHINI WITH SALTED EGG YOLKS

1. Trim the zucchini and cut them into even slices about 1/4 inch thick. Halve and then cut into quarter slices. Mash the cooked egg yolks with a fork. If you use homemade salted egg yolks, steam them for 10 minutes until cooked through

2. Heat a wok over a medium flame with about 1 tsp of oil. Add the zucchini in one layer if possible

3. Dry-fry for several minutes, until they have lost some of their water content and lightly charred on both sides

4. Return the wok to a high heat , then add the remaining oil and swirl around. Add garlic, and stir fry for 10 seconds

5. Add salted egg yolks and stir-fry until they turn frothy/foamy

6. Return the zucchini to the wok and stir-fry until all pieces are coated with salted egg yolks, adding sugar to taste if necessary

7. Garnish with white sesame seeds if you like. Serve immediately with rice as part of multi-course meal
Stir-fried Zucchini with Salted Egg Yolks (黃 沙 炒小南瓜)

VARIETIES YOU CAN DO WITH VEGETABLES AND SALTED EGG YOLKS

Stir-fried Zucchini with Salted Egg Yolks is just one of many dishes out there in Asia that uses salted egg yolks. Other vegetables you can use are string beans/snake beans, green beans, cucumber, eggplant, asparagus, and pumpkin. The possibilities can be limitless if you are willing to be adventurous.
Stir-fried Zucchini with Salted Egg Yolks (黃 沙 炒小南瓜)

DID YOU MAKE THIS STIR-FRIED ZUCCHINI WITH SALTED EGG YOLK RECIPE?

I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag to show me what you’ve made 🙂 Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!
Stir-fried Zucchini with Salted Egg Yolks (黃 沙 炒小南瓜)

Stir-fried Zucchini with Salted Egg Yolks (黃 沙 炒小南瓜)

Stir-fried Zucchini with Salted Egg Yolks (黃 沙 炒小南瓜)

Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Servings 4 servings
Please rate the recipe if you have tried it!
REVIEW & RATE PRINT

Ingredients

  • 1 large zucchini about 350 grams (12 oz)
  • 3 Tbsp cooking oil divided
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 cooked salted duck egg yolks use 4 if you use salted chicken egg yolks
  • Salt to taste

Garnish with (optional):

  • White sesame seeds

Instructions
 

  • Trim the zucchini and cut them into even slices about 1/4 inch thick. Halve and then cut into quarter slices. Mash the cooked egg yolks with a fork. If you use homemade salted egg yolks, steam them for 10 minutes until cooked through
  • Heat a wok over a medium flame with about 1 tsp of oil. Add the zucchini in one layer if possible and dry-fry for several minutes, until they have lost some of their water content and lightly charred on both sides
  • Return the wok to a high flame until smoke rises, then add the remaining oil and swirl around. Add garlic, and stir fry for 10 seconds, add salted egg yolks and stir-fry until they turn frothy/foamy. Return the zucchini to the wok and stir-fry until all pieces are coated with salted egg yolks, adding sugar to taste if necessary. Garnish with white sesame seeds if you like. Serve immediately with rice as part of multi-course meal

RECOMMEDED TOOLS

Wok

Marv's Recipe Notes

If you get some uncooked salted duck eggs, you can break the eggs, and separate the eggs and the white and place the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl, cover and put into a steamer for 10-20 minutes over a high heat until cooked through
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how you like this recipe and consider rating it! Tag me @whattocooktoday I'd love to see your photos/videos on Instagram
previous post
SPRING ROLLS WITH THREE SILKEN THREADS/ 三 絲 春卷
next post
DONG’AN CHICKEN/ 東安子雞

2 comments

C June 19, 2020 - 9:12 pm

Just made this, it’s a great recipe! Thanks for sharing!

Reply
Marv June 20, 2020 - 2:47 pm

Hi C, I’m glad you like. I love this dish too! Thank you for your feedback!

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Please feel free to ask questions here or leave your comments and ratings if you have tried the recipe! Your Email address will not be published!




Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hello! I'm Marvellina!

I’m passionate about food—especially bold, comforting Asian flavors—and I love sharing approachable recipes and creative bakes with an Asian twist. So glad you’re here! LEARN MORE...

Our Favorites

  • How To Make Soft and Fluffy Pandan Chiffon Cake (Complete Guide)

  • How to Make Basic Asian Rice Porridge (Congee)

  • Zha Jiang Mian (炸酱面) (Chinese Fried Sauce Noodles)

  • Easy Hokkien Bak Chang (Zongzi-Sticky Rice Dumplings)

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Youtube

©2025 - What To Cook Today. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy & Disclosure Policy


Back To Top
  • Home
  • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT
  • SHOP
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • easy recipes
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • by course
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • ingredients
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • sourdough
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • bread & buns
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • cakes/cookies/pastries
    • Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Cookies
    • No-Bake Dessert
    • Kue/Kueh
  • dietary
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Baking
    • Christmas Cooking

Let me know how you like the recipe and consider rating it!

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required