Kopitiam Half-Boiled Eggs
Barely set eggs cracked into a saucer with soy sauce and white pepper: the kopitiam breakfast to dip your kaya toast into.
← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 l boiling water
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- ½ tsp Dark soy sauce (optional)
- White pepper, to taste
Method
- Put the eggs in a heatproof pot or jug with a lid and pour over enough just-boiled water to cover them by 2 cm.
- Cover and leave off the heat for 7 min for large eggs (6 min for medium) so the whites turn milky and the yolks stay runny.
- Drain and crack the eggs into small bowls; the whites should be soft and wobbly.
- Season with soy sauce, a few drops of dark soy and white pepper, stir and eat with a spoon or with toast.
Tips
- Eggs straight from the fridge cool the water too much; give them an extra 1–2 min.
- Eggs are barely cooked here, so use very fresh eggs and choose pasteurised ones for pregnant women, young children or anyone vulnerable.
Sources
Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:
Malaysian Chinese Kitchen Seasaltwithfood What To Cook Today
Open Kopitiam Half-Boiled Eggs in Nouns Cooking