Why even Bear Grylls cannot bear the egg?

Over the years, being overwhelmed by the variety of delicious delicacies and sometimes some “strange” foods, we have had a love-hate relationship with Chinese cuisine. Spicy rabbit head, frog hot pot, Stinky Tofu, Fried Bee Pupae…

Among them, there is a kind of egg, because of its transparent grey white and black yolk, a lot of people jokingly called it “the world's most disgusting food”. Even Bear Grylls cannot bear it!

They are century eggs, or you also can call them preserved duck eggs! “The clay hardens around the egg and results in the curing and creation of century eggs instead of spoiled eggs. The century egg has at least four centuries of history behind its production.” No wonder it has such a name!

Century Eggs

Chinese people are crazy about the century eggs. We Sichuanese like to use them to make a cold dish, Century Egg Salad; while Cantonese, who attain a high degree of perfection in cooking congee, are fans of Century Egg Pork Lean Congee.

Century Egg Salad

Century Egg Pork Lean Congee

Well, but you may hold a TOTALLY DIFFERENT perspective on this dish. Like some said they will never try, or others think it’s an adventure which worth a bite.

Comments from Twitter

Where is the magic of century egg after all? Why one of top food choices in China is also one of the world's disgusting foods?

Century Eggs Soup

Du Zhihua is a connoisseur of preserved eggs in Sichuan, three generations of her family have had the experience of making this food. It is said that century eggs are stemmed from in Hubei province. At that time, a farmer and his wife raised a lot of ducks, thus duck eggs were always in surplus. In order to better preserve the eggs, the couple hid the eggs in grass and wood ash, after a certain period of time, they took them out to eat, and unexpectedly found a unique flavour.

Du Zhihua, photo from Sichuan Intangible Heritage

"Eating preserved eggs can help to cure your ‘shanghuo’(heaty). "As a traditional food, people have enjoyed preserved eggs for a long time, and the recipes vary from place to place. Du had taken preserved eggs on trips to the United States and shared them with locals. “At first, they didn't know what it was and were afraid to eat it, so my daughter told them it was our traditional food and invited them to taste it. To my surprise, they said it is delicious!”

Want to have a bite? Well, do not forget to tell us after you try!

See you next time, and today, You Look Yummy!