 Kwek kwek, a popular variant oftokneneng made withquail eggs | |
| Course | Snack |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Philippines |
| Main ingredients | Hard-boiled quail egg, batter |
| Variations | Kwek kwek |
Tokneneng (ortukneneng) is atempura-like Filipinostreet food made bydeep-fryinghard-boiled chicken or duckeggs covered in orange batter.[1]
A popular variation oftokneneng iskwek kwek.Kwek-kwek is traditionally made withquail eggs,[1] which are smaller, with batter made by mixingannatto powder or annatto seeds that have been soaked in water.Kwek-kwek andtokeneneng are often falsely used interchangeably. To cookkwek-kwek, the cooking oil needs to be at least 160°F (71°C).
Tokneneng is commonly found at street food stalls, often withfish balls,squid balls, andkikiam. It is usually served with either a tangyvinegar-based dip (plain or spicy), or a thick sweet sauce made offlour,soy sauce,garlic,onions, andsugar.[2]
The wordtukneneng originated from the 1978 PinoyKomiks seriesBatute, illustrated by Vic Geronimo and created by Rene Villaroman. In the language of the protagonist, Batute,tukneneng means "egg".[3][4] InTaytay, it is calledepalog, a portmanteau ofhepa (hepatitis) anditlog (egg), referring to theyellowish skin associated with hepatitis.[5]
Another origin story involves abalut vendor inCubao. Accidentally dropping thebalut they were selling, they peeled off the shells and deep-fried it in the batter instead of discarding it. This unexpected culinary experiment led to the creation of bothtokneneng and its close cousin,kwek-kwek.[3] Yet another possibility is that street eateries (karinderya) repurpose leftoverbalut andpenoy by deep-frying them for the next day.[3][6]
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