I could have done this series about the simpler foods named above but I'm afraid I am and always have been attracted to the bizarre spectrum of life, and thus I've made this series about two Asian delicacies renowned for their pungent odour and polarising flavour.- 'natto' and today the 'century egg'
Whether you call this food preserved egg, millennium egg or simply a bad idea, the long story short is that it is a preserved egg. It's certainly not preserved for the length of time advertised, more like a few weeks or a month; but it's certainly long enough to put the egg through a striking metamorphosis. A duck, chicken or occasionally a quail's egg is packed in a mixture of soil and lye until the egg undergoes a chemical reaction- the culprit is the alkaline salts in the lye which work like gremlins to turn the clear egg white into a cola-coloured jelly and the yolk into a grey/green custard, almost interstellar in appearance. The look is vibrant and slightly unsettling but it does possess a strange beauty- the egg's surface crackles with a pale snowflake pattern that arises from the preservation process, and I see a bit of the ugly duckling complex with the egg, naturally.
But looks aren't everything. In terms of taste, the foremost flavour is definitely egg. It's surprisingly mild; much like the dragon fruit its vivid appearance doesn't translate into strong flavour. It has an ammonia, strong cheese vibe to it which I happen to relish (though I'm sure many would disagree). One thing I should say is that the century egg lets you know what some people find so repulsive about regular hard boiled eggs.
Many eat the egg as a challenge by simply biting into it whole, but that's definitely not the idea. Alone, the egg has few merits but when it's softened and complimented by other flavours, it shows that the egg can be delicious and not just some culinary quirk. The only way I've come across it being eaten is in a rice porridge; very light, very soothing and perfect for the slightly harsh notes of the egg. It's incredibly simple to make- you simply overcook rice until it melts into a thick, silky porridge.
100g pudding rice or other short grain white rice
750ml hot chicken/vegetable stock
Soy sauce, to taste
White pepper, to taste
Dash of sesame oil
Chopped spring onion and 1 century egg
In a sieve under running cold water wash the rice until the water more or less runs clear. Place it in a saucepan and cover with the stock then give a good stir and clamp on the lid to help the mixture boil faster. Once it comes to a boil turn the heat down very low and simmer for 1+1/2-2 hours, until the rice has broken down into a thick porridge. Frequent stirring is necessary to prevent catching and achieve a velvety texture. Season with light soy sauce (or just regular salt if preferred) to taste.
Crack the egg gently on a worktop and peel it. The inner papery membrane is spotted with dark freckles. Chop the egg into small pieces and use it to top each bowl of porridge (this serves 2). Scrunch over some pepper, sprinkle with spring onions and drizzle over some sesame oil. If you can get over the bizarre appearance of the egg, every mouthful will be delicious. Will I make this again? Most definitely, not least because I have 5 more eggs to eat up!
