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PRESERVED EGGS
| Mandarin: Yandan, Pidan |
Cantonese : Haham, Pei Don |
Among
the Chinese communities throughout South-east Asia and especially in China, preserved eggs
has continued to be an extremely popular delicacy. It is no coincidence that only duck eggs
are use for this delicacy. This is probably because duck eggs are bigger and have a stronger
flavor than chicken eggs, and also because the yolk of a duck egg contains more fat than a
chicken egg. Basically there are two main types of preserved eggs. The more common type,
much favored in southern China, is the salted duck egg. The other, which more universal
appeal, is the more famous thousand-year-old egg.
Both
types of preserved eggs are made by a similar method; it is the material used in the process
that are different. Basically salted eggs are made by coating raw duck eggs in a salt and
mud paste, then rolling them in rice husks until they are completely covered. At this stage
the eggs are packed into an earthenware urn, which is tightly sealed and stored in a cool,
dark place for one to two months.
Thousand-year-old eggs are nothing like as old as their name suggests. They are just raw
duck eggs that have been covered with a mixture of wood ash and slaked lime and left for up
to a hundred days. By the time they are used, the egg whites will have turned to pale brown
jelly and the yolks will be creamy and tinged green.
aroma
& flavor..
The
two types of preserved eggs smell and taste quite different. As might be expected, one is
more salty while the other type, the thousand-year-old egg, is milder but still having a
definite aroma and flavor.
culinary
uses..
Salted eggs must be cooked. They are often eaten on their own, or used as part of the
filling in cakes for festivals. Thousand-year-olds need no cooking. Sliced and seasoned with
soy sauce and sesame oil, they are often served as a starter, or chopped and added to congee
and eaten at breakfast time. They can also be used in a delicious omelet, with minced pork
and fresh chicken eggs.
preparation
& cooking techniques..
Both
types of eggs must have their outer coating removed and then they should be thoroughly
washed.
Salted eggs can then be boiled or steamed before removing their shells. The whites and yolks
of the thousand-year-old eggs will have solidified, so all that is required is to carefully
remove the shell before cutting the eggs into quarters or eights for serving.
storage..
Since
the eggs are preserved, they should keep for a long time in the refrigerator. The salted
eggs will keep for about a month and the thousand-year-old eggs will keep for 4 - 6 months.
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