Century Egg Tofu

Century egg tofu is my favorite way to enjoy these eggs. Silken tofu and century egg slices are drizzled with soy sauce (or soy paste) and sesame oil and topped with green onions and pork floss.

Soy paste is light soy sauce thickened with starch and sometimes sugar. The brand I use is Kimlan. It is used as dipping sauce because the thick consistency clings more readily to food. Using soy paste prevents the dish from being too runny but light soy sauce can be substituted (use less because it might be saltier) if you don’t have soy paste on hand.

Century Egg Tofu - Pidan Doufu
1 block silken tofu
2 century eggs
1 green onion, thinly sliced.
2 Tbsp rinsed and chopped preserved mustard stems (zha cai), optional
1 tsp vegetable oil
Approximately 1 1/2 Tbsp soy paste, to taste
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
About 3 Tbsp pork floss

Steam the block of silken tofu for 10 – 15 minutes and drain. This helps get rid of excess water in the tofu. Let it cool to room temperature and slice into 1/2 in pieces. Personally I like this dish to be at room temperature but it can be served cold too.

Cut the century eggs into slices. First cut in half lengthwise then each half into quarters and each quarter into 2 or 3 slices.

Heat 1 tsp of vegetable oil over medium heat and cook the zha cai for 1 or 2 minutes (if using). Then take the pan off heat and add the sliced green onions and let the flavor bloom in the hot oil. If not using the zha cai, heat up the oil and once hot, take the pan off heat and add the green onions to the hot oil.

To serve arrange the century egg slices on the tofu slices. Drizzle soy paste and sesame oil over the tofu and egg. Sprinkle the green onion (and zha cai) and pork floss on top.

Century Egg Congee

Congee is a porridge made from rice cooked in lots of water or stock. It’s a good way to use up the leftover rice from the previous day. The rice is cooked for a long time until it breaks down and the porridge thickens. It can be as thin as soup or as thick as oatmeal. Congee is very popular for breakfast because it is filling and warms the body. It is also a comfort food for someone who is sick, like chicken noodle soup. Congee is eaten with an assortment of dried, preserved, or pickled condiments. In century egg congee, chopped century eggs and ground pork are added.

Century Egg Congee
There’s no right or wrong way to make congee, since it’s a very informal dish so there's really no official recipe.

1 C leftover cooked rice
3 C water or stock (more or less depending on how thick you like your congee)
3 oz. ground pork, optional
1 green onion, separated into white and green part, then thinly sliced
2 century eggs, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp sesame oil
Salt
Vegetable oil

Heat 1 tsp of vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced white part of the green onion and ground pork. Brown the ground pork. Then add the rice, water, and white pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.

Add the soy sauce and sesame oil to the chopped century egg and let it marinade for the time you cook the congee.

If you want your congee thicker, add less water or cook it uncovered for a while and if you want it thinner, add more water. At the end of cooking, stir the century egg and sliced green part of the green onion into the congee. Cook for a minute to let it heat through. Salt to taste, then serve immediately.

Serve with condiments of choice like:
pork floss (rou song)
pickled bean curd
zha cai
bamboo shoots
wheat gluten

Century Eggs

Century egg, also known as thousand-year egg or pidan, is a type of preserved egg that is a Chinese delicacy. Unlike the name suggests the eggs are not hundreds of years old but rather only a few months old. Traditionally they were made by coating chicken or duck eggs in clay but nowadays the eggs are preserved with an alkaline mixture of salt, tea, lime, and wood ash. The preservation process results in the most peculiar metamorphosis. The shell looks speckled and aged making the egg seem like it's been buried for hundreds of years. The white becomes an amber colored jelly-like substance occasionally decorated with patterns that resemble snowflakes or pine tree branches. The yolk transforms into a grayish jade, creamy center. For the most part the white is tasteless but provides a springy texture to the soft yolk that takes on a pungent, savory, earthy, almost cheese-like flavor.

Century eggs are definitely an acquired taste. When I was young, my sensitive palate did not like the strong flavors of the egg yolk, which some would say is the best part, so I only ate the white. Now that I’m older, I love the yolk as well. Since century eggs are a delicacy, they are served in small quantities as an appetizer course. These eggs are also added to rice congee for century egg congee, a very popular breakfast dish. A Shanghainese dish, century egg tofu, combines the eggs with silken tofu.

Because the eggs give off an ammonia smell there is a myth that once upon a time, horse urine was used in making these eggs. However this is just a myth because horse urine is actually a bit acidic whereas you need an alkaline substance for the preservation. Sometimes lead oxide, an extremely dangerous neurotoxin, is used to speed up the preserving process. When buying these eggs, look for packages that clearly state no lead oxide. If the eggs have no clear statement, to err on the side of caution, avoid the eggs from China entirely. The eggs should be refrigerated and can be kept for a month. However, I have kept these eggs for several months in the fridge with no ill effects.

Recipes:
Century Egg Congee
Century Egg Tofu