Pidan or Century egg
What is it? Has it been berried for a millennium, 1000 years or a century?
No, the process only takes a few weeks to a few months. Although the unique look and scent of this egg has earned it a few of those nicknames and Khai Yiao ma in Thai which translates to "Horse urine eggs." A common misconception due to its pungent ammonia like scent, but urine has a pH of 7.5-7.9, whereas a century egg has a much higher pH. The curring process of the egg is transformed by alkaline salt that slowly raises the pH of the egg from 9 up to 12.
Traditionally the egg (duck, chicken or quail) is covered in a a mixture of clay, ash, rice hulls, and quicklime that hardens around the egg and stats the curring process. The mixture and length of time depend greatly on location and method of processing.
The result, an soft cheese like texture of the black egg yolks and pungent flavor with a jelly like egg white.
Serving and eating Pidan is different depending on the culture and region. I went a traditional Cantonese congee direction following The Woks of Life recipe in order to try this odd ball of a egg properly.Guess what! I liked it! Its not nearly as strange as I thought it would be. I have tried Swedish Surströmming and Icelandic Hákarl. This one is much more palpable. It had a silky texture and chicken stock flavor packed yummyness! So GO AHEAD give it a try! I dare ya!
Get yourself:
- Makes for 4 large and 8 small portions
- ¾ cup (washed and frozen for 8 hours)
- 4 ounces pork shoulder, sliced thin (matchsticks)
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 7 cups chicken broth(water + 1.5 bouillon cubes)
- 2 Century eggs
- 3 slices fresh ginger (matchstick)
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- Salt to taste
- Chopped spring onion for garnish and texture
Instructions
- Wash the rice, drain, and transfer to a freezer-safe container.
- Marinate the pork with the cornstarch, oyster sauce, and vegetable oil
- In a medium pot, bring 7 cups of stock to a boil. Add the frozen rice (no need to defrost) and bring it to a boil again, stirring the rice to prevent sticking. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Periodically check and stir the congee.
- While that’s cooking, dice the thousand year-old egg and set it aside. Very thinly slice the ginger.
- After 15 minutes, it’s time to add the julienned ginger, pork, and thousand year-old egg. Stir and simmer for another 5 minutes or so. Finally, stir in the white pepper and salt to taste. Serve hot with chopped spring onion.
Let me know if you try this and what you think! Have fun!
