The eggs of the century, also known as preserved eggs, a thousand years or eggs of the millennium-pídàn in Mandarin and Pei Dan in Cantonese (皮蛋)-are a Chinese delicacy. Although they gained a certain reputation, we love to use them on key dishes.
Learn everything you need to know about these eggs universally preserved, from their distinctive flavor to culinary applications. That you are preparing a cold, spicy tofu plate or a traditional appetizer, this complete guide will show you how to incorporate the eggs of the century in your kitchen!
What are the eggs of the century?
The eggs of the century are eggs of duck, chicken or quails preserved in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, quick calcium and rice shells. Despite their intimidating name, they are not actually kept for a century or a thousand years: the process generally takes a few weeks to a few months.
Egg white turns into a dark, translucent or brown gelatin with a firm consistency, while the yolk becomes a deep greenish gray with a soft and creamy center that can sometimes be slightly cooked in the center.
The fresh eggs of the century are wrapped in their conservation mixture and must be discarded and rinsed before using. In modern markets, they are commonly sold already clean and individually wrapped in plastic, ready for consumption. (While you can cook them further, it is not necessary. You can use them as it is.)
The eggs of the century have:
- A rich and complex taste of umami with mineral notes. The flavor is esteo and rich, but also more robust than a normal boiled egg.
- A consistency with gelatinous egg white and creamy yolk
- A distinctive aroma reminiscent of ammonia (the result of alkaline conservation ingredients), but don’t let yourself be discouraged!
These eggs get a kind of bad rap. We saw them once in an episode of Factor of fear As a food challenge some time in the early 2000s. (Judy looked at him and said: “I can do it – Just give me some soy sauce!”).
We recently looked at I will have what Phil has (a PBS show that seems to have led to the Netflix series Someone feed Phil), Where they were not portrayed in the best light Or, even from the American/Canadian Chinese who were with him! They ate the eggs in a traditional Cantonese style, with a sottacent ginger. Bill remembers him from his childhood: a cold dish for banquets with a subception ginger and egg wedges of the century.
We would call it “advanced”. Eat it if you have already known the egg of the century already better or you may feel a competitor for the fear factor!
In these days, we like to use the eggs of the century as ingredients in things rather than eating them alone. If you are a novice of eggs of the century and try scarf in an egg without much more, you are just preparing for bankruptcy. We want to prepare you for success.
Let’s talk about how to use them!
How to use the eggs of the century
To prepare the eggs of the centurySimply remove any packaging, carefully detach the shell. The conservation process makes the shell a little easier to remove than fresh eggs. Rinse them and cut them/cut them for your plate!
The cleanest way to cut a century egg is with thread wire or uncomforted cotton.
The yolk is very creamy, so the use of a knife can become disordered.
Here are our favorite ways to use the eggs of the century:
- Free leave: perhaps the most classic use for eggs of the century is in leave, where they add a rich flavor and a material variation. If you are new to the eggs of the century, cut them into small pieces, so you can get small egg flavors with each bite. You took from there!
- The cold appetizers: slice and serve the eggs of the century with silk tofu with a nice spicy seasoning for a delicious cold appetizer! The strong flavor of the seasoning is really good with the insipid tofu and rich eggs. Sarah’s roommate’s roommate’s roommate (certainly no stranger to fermented/preserved food) tried the eggs of the century for the first time on this dish and loved them immediately. (“Hey, can you do that strange thing about the egg again?”)
- FRIME: the chopped eggs can be incorporated into rapid fried with vegetables. We are particularly passionate about a Hunan Frilla -style egg with fried spicy peppers! We will have to publish that recipe at some point! We have this simplest chili pepper with the egg recipe of the century that you can try in the meantime.
- Steam dishes: egg steam segments with ground pork and vegetables preserved for a salted dish or prepare our three -colored steam eggs.
Where to buy
You can find eggs of century in most Chinese or Asian food stores, often in the refrigerated section or next to other preserved foods. Generally they are sold in packets from four to six, clean and individually wrapped in plastic. The eggs are usually in a sealed package, but otherwise, look for eggs without unusual cracks or odors. Also check the expiry date!
How to store
Store the eggs that are not open in a cool and dry place away from the light of the direct sun. You can also refrigerate if you want. If you notice a mold, Scaroti immediately.
They have a fairly long duration if correctly preserved in a cool and dry place, up to several months. Refrigeration can further prolong their conservation duration, although the consistency can become slightly more solid.
