皮蛋豆腐 Hundred Year Egg with Tofu

Pinyin: Pí Dàn Dòu Fu

Calcium Oxide, also know as quicklime is used as in mortar, in the production of glass, as a fertilizer, and it has even been used as a weapon. It is a strong base that reacts with water and can cause extreme irritation and burns if exposed to it. It also happens to be a key ingredient in the production a few types of food including corn hominy, tortilla dough, and Chinese preserved eggs.

Chinese preserved eggs, more commonly called century eggs, or thousand year eggs are created by coating a regular egg in a clay, wood ash, quicklime, and salt mixture. After coating the egg in the clay mixture they are allowed to cure for three months before they are ready to eat, the process has changed very little in the five centuries since it’s discovery.

In Thailand and Laos these eggs are commonly called horse urine eggs, which is probably one reason for the frequent myth that these eggs used to be produced by soaking them in horse urine. More likely this myth and the name came about because century eggs have an intense ammonia and sulphur odor.

The aging process allows the quicklime to transform proteins in the egg turning the egg whites into a brown translucent jelly that often contains crystalline like patterns, while the egg yolk takes on the bulk of the ammonia and sulphur flavors while turning green and adopts a creamy texture.

The appetizer pictured above is found in many Chinese cuisines and is readily available at restaurants. The silken tofu is often chilled and sliced or cubed. The century egg is then cut and placed on top. Soy sauce mixed with sesame oil and in this case pepper oil is drizzled on top and further enhanced with a liberal helping of cilantro. I enjoy the tofu and soy sauce mixture in this dish but I often find the century eggs a little overwhelming. The ammonia and sulphur never sit right with me and I choose to avoid the bulk of the eggs.

If you are in Shanghai or China for any significant amount of time you will undoubtedly be exposed to this dish. The concept of aged eggs has always been a bit strange and off-putting to me, but everybody has different tastes and I didn’t hesitate to give this dish a try. Once I figured out century eggs weren’t for me I avoided them easily enough and stuck to just the tofu.

Found throughout Asia, when you are visiting China or some place nearby be sure to try this dish. Even if it’s not something you’d go back for second servings on, it’s an adventure and a story to take back with you. Besides you might find that you like it.