Thousand year old egg or century egg isn’t actually a thousand years old. But it sounds pretty exotic doesn’t it? It’s actually just a preserved duck egg (that has been preserved only a few months).
I’ve neglected the Chinese recipe section of my blog so I decided to share this easy recipe. No cooking is necessary. You just need to assemble a few ingredients.
The Thousand Year Egg is popular in Chinese cuisine. It is often topped on a tofu salad or served an accompaniment to congee (rice porridge).
The preserved egg definitely has a much different taste and look compared to a fresh egg. The outer egg white layer becomes a translucent brown with a jelly-like texture. The yolk turns a dark green/greyish color. The yolk is creamy and has a very rich flavor, which is why it is often paired with the plain raw tofu. The egg yolk flavor isn’t for everyone. I actually prefer the egg whites and only eat a little of the yolk.
You can find the eggs at Ranch 99, usually next to the regular eggs or sometimes in its own section. The packaging looks something like this:
Inside, each egg is individually wrapped. The egg shell is a pale blue, reminding me of a giant robin’s egg.
The preservation process only takes a few months, but the name comes because of its appearance, which makes it seem like it has been preserved hundreds or thousands of years.
Preparation for the salad is quite simple. Silken tofu is usually used because of its soft silky texture. Eggs are usually quartered, though I halved them for this post so you could see the egg characteristics better. I like to also top mine with bonito shavings for some extra seasoning and some fresh green onions (some people use cilantro). Right before serving, soy sauce is drizzled on top, otherwise the tofu is a bit plain.
You can eat the salad by itself, or it’s usually eaten with Chinese congee. Growing up, I used to eat this almost every weekend. I used to make it for myself in college too, but it’s definitely been a while since I made it. I didn’t realize how long it’s been until DH told me he never had it before.
It was fun sharing this with him and he really enjoyed it. It also gave me an excuse to use my cute chick shaped soy sauce container which I found at Marukai Value.
If you like this recipe you might like to try my Bang Bang Tofu Salad, too.
Thousand Year Egg Tofu Salad
Ingredients
- 1 block silken tofu
- 2 tbsp chopped green onion
- 3 tbsp bonito flakes
- 3 preserved duck eggs sliced into 4 sections each (see note)
- soy sauce to taste
Instructions
- Slice tofu to bite sized cubes. I usually make four vertical slices, four horizontal slices across the surface and also make one horizontal slice along the middle. Line eggs around the tofu. Sprinkle green onion and bonito flakes on top. Drizzle with soy sauce. Serve cold.
Notes
- Thousand year eggs are preserved duck eggs, which can be found at Asian grocery stores.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
I like Jinxi’s idea of topping the tofu with pork sung! Don’t think I’m brave enough to try the eggs, although my Asian grandmother loved them.
I think most people would be okay with the outside part of the egg because it honestly just tastes like jello. It’s the egg yolk that people might have a problem with.
Mm I love this recipe. It’s so convenient and quick, and I almost always have all the ingredients on hand. I’ve also tried to top it with rou sung (pork floss?) instead of bonito flakes, haha.
Oh that sounds good too. I usually eat congee with pork floss and with the tofu though I havent put the pork floss on the tofu. Good substitute though if you don’t have bonito flakes.
OMG this is one of my favorite dishes ever. It’s too bad Dan will never ever allow thousand year eggs in the house… 😉
Aw, that’s too bad. I was surprised DH liked it. I mean the egg white is pretty normal. Tastes like jello but without the fruit flavors. The yolk is something that takes more getting used to.
I love those preserved duck eggs and its strong flavoured yolk!
I’ve never eaten it like this before, with tofu. My favourite is when it’s cooked in congee with salted pork. I could eat that every day.
Salted duck eggs are delicious too!
I’ve had it with porridge too, but at home, we’ve always eaten it with the tofu salad.