Thousand-Year-Old Eggs
Submitted by Jovermyer
Learn to make authentic Chinese century eggs (pidan) at home. Duck eggs cured for 100 days in a black tea, salt, ash, and lime coating transform into a prized delicacy with translucent whites and creamy green yolks.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
0 minREADY
100 daysCentury eggs look like something from another planet, and that’s exactly what makes them one of the most fascinating foods on Earth.
Duck eggs get coated in a thick paste of strong black tea, pine wood ash, salt, and lime, then buried in soil inside a crock for 100 days.
The alkaline coating slowly transforms the egg white into a firm, translucent amber jelly, while the yolk turns dark and creamy with an intensely savory, almost cheese-like depth.
Serve them cut into wedges with a dipping sauce of vinegar, soy sauce, rice wine, and fresh ginger for a classic Chinese appetizer that rewards the adventurous eater.
Kitchen Tips
- Use fresh duck eggs only. The shells need to be intact with no cracks. Any break in the shell will spoil the egg during the long cure.
- Coat them thickly and evenly. About half a cup of the paste per egg. Every bit of shell must be covered or the preservation won’t work properly.
- Store in a cool, dark spot. Consistent temperature matters over 100 days. A basement or root cellar is ideal.
- Rinse thoroughly before eating. Scrape off all the coating and wash under running water. The cured eggs keep refrigerated for several weeks once cleaned.
Ingredients
Directions
These are often called thousand-year eggs, even though the preserving process lasts only 100 days.
Combine tea, salt, ashes and lime.
Using about ½ cup per egg, thickly coat each egg completely with this clay-like mix- ture.
Line a large crock with garden soil and carefully lay coated eggs on top.
Cover with more soil and place crock in a cool dark place.
Allow to cure for 100 days.
To remove coating, scrape eggs and rinse under running water to clean thoroughly.
Crack lightly and remove shells.
The white of the egg will appear a grayish, translucent color and have a gelatinous texture.
The yolk, when sliced, will be a grayish-green color.
To serve, cut into wedges and serve with sweet pickled scallions or any sweet pickled vegetable.
Sauce can consist of 2 tablespoons each vinegar, soy sauce and rice wine and 1 tablespoon minced ginger root.
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