Tokneneng (Filipino Orange Battered Eggs)
Tokneneng is a beloved Filipino street food made by coating hard-boiled chicken or duck eggs in a vibrant orange batter, then deep-frying them until crispy. The dish gets its signature color from atsuete (annatto) powder and is traditionally served with spiced vinegar or sweet brown sauce. A close cousin to kwek-kwek (which uses quail eggs), tokneneng delivers a satisfying contrast between its crunchy exterior and creamy interior, making it a popular and affordable merienda (snack) sold by street vendors throughout the Philippines.
Equipment
- Deep heavy-bottomed pan or kawali for even heat distribution during frying
- Spider strainer or sandok (slotted spoon) for safe frying and draining
- Medium mixing bowls (mangkok) for preparing batter
- Candy/oil thermometer (optional) for precise oil temperature
- Paper towel-lined plate for draining excess oil
- Tongs [Sipit] for handling eggs
Ingredients
For the Eggs:
- 6-8 pieces boiled eggs chicken or duck/itlog na manok o itlog na pato
- 2 cups cooking oil for frying mantika
For the Orange Batter:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour arina
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch corn starch
- ¾ cup warm water mainit na tubig
- 1 tablespoon atsuete/achuete powder annatto powder
- ½ teaspoon salt asin
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper dinurog na paminta
Instructions
- Heat your cooking oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. You need enough oil to cover the eggs when frying.
- Mix the flour, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, stir the atsuete powder with warm water until it turns bright orange and all powder is dissolved.
- Pour the orange atsuete mixture into your flour mixture. Whisk everything together until smooth with no lumps. The batter should be similar to pancake batter.
- Roll each boiled egg in cornstarch and shake off any extra. This helps the batter stick better.
- Test if your oil is hot enough by dropping a tiny bit of batter - it should bubble and float right away. Your oil temperature should be around 350°F (175°C).
- Dip each cornstarch-coated egg in the orange batter until fully covered. Carefully place it in the hot oil. Only fry 3-4 eggs at a time to avoid crowding.
- Fry for 3-4 minutes, turning the eggs gently until they're crispy and golden-orange on all sides. You'll know they're done when the bubbling calms down and the coating looks firm.
- Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Serve immediately while hot and crispy with spiced vinegar or sweet brown sauce.
- For best results, keep the oil at a steady temperature between batches. If your tokneneng browns too quickly, lower the heat. If it gets greasy or soggy, your oil isn't hot enough.
Tips from Lola's Kitchen
- Use room temperature eggs to prevent batter from sliding off
- Add a drop of yellow food coloring for brighter color if atsuete is light
- Double-coat eggs for extra crispiness
- Keep oil temperature consistent for even cooking
- Never cover the pan while frying to maintain crispiness
Nutrition
Calories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 6gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 200mgPotassium: 32mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 7IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!