Duck eggs.

A duck egg is bigger than a hen's egg, with a thicker shell that can be chalk white or a very pale blue-green. Crack one open and the yolk sits high and wide, a deep yellow that takes up more of the egg. It tastes richer and a little stronger. Many Thai cooks reach for duck eggs when they want an omelette that puffs up thick, or a dessert with a deep golden colour.

Ways to use it

• Beat into a khai jiao with a splash of fish sauce and fry in plenty of hot oil until the edges puff and crisp.
• Boil and halve over rice, or simmer whole in a sweet, dark palo broth with pork and tofu.
• Use the yolks in Thai golden desserts such as thong yip and foi thong, where the colour matters.
• Bake with them. Cakes come out with a richer crumb and a yellower colour.

Watch the heat. The white of a duck egg sets firmer than a hen's egg, and if you fry or boil it too long it turns rubbery. A soft fry or a gentle simmer suits it best.

Storing it

Thai guidance for eggs is to keep them at room temperature for up to about a week, then move them into the fridge. Leave them in the carton, put it on an inside shelf rather than in the door, and don't freeze them. Wash a shell only just before you crack it.

Where it comes from

Grown to certified organic standards. The certificate for each lot is shown when you trace your pack.

Every pack will carry a lot code. Enter it on the Trace your pack page and you will see the farms in that lot, the packing date and the certificate.