The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.
— Arnold H. Glasow, famous US businessman.
Can you survive a day without eggs? One of the top news recently in Malaysia including Sarawak is the shortage of eggs and their skyrocketing prices.
Many bakers have revealed that they are finding it hard to continue their businesses because of the shortage of eggs.
Bakers need eggs and lots of them for their cakes and cookies. Eggs, after all, add structure, leavening, colour and flavour to many of the baked goods.
A friend, who is a part-time baker, says she prefers to use large eggs in baking. I did some research recently and found out that most baking recipes call for large eggs. I also found out that large eggs are about 57 grams or 3 1/4 tablespoons of egg and that extra-large eggs are about 64 grams, or 4 tablespoons of egg.
Before the shortage of eggs was highlighted in the news, I never paid much attention to the sizes of eggs and their corresponding prices.
if I had to shop for eggs, I would look for the cheapest tray I could find. This is because I am not crazy about eggs. An egg to me is an egg. Never mind whether it is extra-large, large or jumbo.
When my colleagues started talking about the prices of eggs and how much they had to pay for a tray, I began to pay more attention to the sizes of the eggs and their prices.
When I popped into one of my favourite cold storage stores recently, I noticed that four grades of eggs were being sold, namely, Grade AA, Grade A, Grade B and Grade C.
A tray of Grade AA eggs was being sold for RM17.50 while a tray of Grade A eggs cost RM13.50, a tray of Grade B eggs cost 12.90 and a tray of Grade C eggs cost RM12.30. However, each customer was allowed to buy only one tray of eggs.
While there are four consumer grades for eggs in Sarawak, I learnt that in the United States, there are only three consumer grades for eggs: United States (U.S.) Grade AA, A, and B.
The grade is determined by the interior quality of the egg and the appearance and condition of the egg shell. U.S. Grade AA eggs possess whites that are thick and firm; yolks that are high, round and free from defects; and clean, unbroken shells.
Do you know that the best eggs for frying and poaching where appearance is important are Grade AA and Grade A eggs?
Now, I understand why one of my friends, a mother of three, buys only Grade A eggs. Her children love omelettes and on days when she is busy, they are happy to have omelettes with sweet soya sauce for lunch or dinner. Yes, Grade A eggs are best for making omelettes.
Like my friend, many housewives, especially those with young and growing up children, are worried about the shortage of eggs in the market.
Even if you are not a baker, eggs are handy to keep at home. If you come from a Chinese family, you might have grown up eating Stir-Fried Cangkok Manis (Star Gooseberry) with Egg and Egg and Sweet Corn Soup. These are among the popular Chinese dishes in Sarawak.
Very popular in my family are the hard boiled chicken eggs that are cooked with braised duck during the Chinese New Year and other festivals. My younger sister and I will add up to 20 hardboiled eggs to the dish which is much loved by the young and old in the family.
Eggs are also a must when you fry rice and noodles. Who doesn’t love egg fried rice or egg fried noodles?
Of course, you can fry rice or noodles without eggs. One of the easiest meals to prepare is fried rice or noodles – you can add any old leftovers you throw at it but putting in an egg or two will add protein, great flavour, texture and delicious richness to it.
One of the reasons why eggs are popular among health-conscious people is because of their high-quality protein. They are vital if you want to grow muscles and become strong. Eggs are also nutritious because they contain 13 essential vitamins and minerals. So unless you are a vegan or have egg intolerance or allergy, eggs will certainly be part of your daily diet.
If you are worried about the shortage of eggs, worry no more. Just be prepared to pay more for your eggs because of the many factors affecting food prices including the COVID-19 pandemic, supply and demand, weather and disease outbreaks. The high food prices are, alas, my friends, signs of modern, changing times.
Meanwhile, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has assured Sarawakians that there is no problem with the egg supply in the state.
“For egg supply, there is no problem with it. I was made to understand from the Ministry of Agriculture that we have enough supply of chickens.
“However, some imported items may be affected,” he told reporters when met after officiating at an International Symposium On Digital Industry Transformation 2022 at CENTEXS Kuching, Jalan Sultan Tengah on June 7.
The Premier also said that Sarawak was not facing any issue concerning lack of food supply at the moment.
My friends, we are all familiar with the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” which means that eating an apple each day can help to keep you healthy.
Do you know an egg a day also keeps the doctor away? A study of nearly half a million people in China in 2018 suggests an egg daily may also reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes. So what are you waiting for?
