What is century egg? 5 dishes that will get you hooked on the Chinese delicacy
If you’re curious but apprehensive about the Chinese delicacy, here are some delicious dishes to try without having to go all the way with a whole egg
Century egg, or preserved egg, has received a lot of flak since Italian police arrested two Chinese restaurant owners and confiscated 800 century eggs, claiming they were unfit for human consumption. This led to a flurry of comments from native Chinese and the Asian diaspora in defence of their ancestral delicacy on social media, mixed with comments revealing the curiosity as well as the disgust of those unfamiliar with the food.
Century egg, or preserved egg, has received a lot of flak since Italian police arrested two Chinese restaurant owners and confiscated 800 century eggs, claiming they were unfit for human consumption
It’s an acquired taste, and for those who’ve never tried or haven’t acquired the taste for it yet, don’t fret. Here are some dishes that use century egg as an ingredient, which introduce – or help to reintroduce – the contentious food to your palate.
1. Chilled tofu with century egg
Diced preserved egg is placed on top of chilled tofu and mixed with a tangy sauce made with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and mirin wine. The result is a great balance of flavours where the tofu dilutes the flavour of the egg and the tangy sauce balances it, leaving your palate with slight alkali aroma.
2. Tricolour egg with cabbage
This dish is amazingly simple and available at most Chinese restaurants such as Paradise Classic with chains throughout Hong Kong. Salted egg, century egg and regular egg are mixed to create a broth where a leafy green, such as spinach, is cooked. The soup is full of umami and for those trying the blackened egg for the first time, this is a chance to nibble at a small piece when consuming your greens.