A century egg is not in fact 100 years old. It certainly looks like it could be though. Blackened and bruised it appears that it could come straight from a witches pantry. But looks can be deceiving, close your eyes and it tastes delicious.
The origins of the century egg are thought to date as far back as the Ming Dynasty. Similar to jams and pickled foods, the Chinese started preserving eggs in times of plenty. Legend has it that the first century eggs were created accidentally when somebody found that duck eggs had become preserved in residual slaked lime, left over from building their house.
These eggs are specially preserved for around 40 days in a mixture of ash, clay and salt. Over time, the egg white gelatinzes. It becomes becomes dark brown/black in appearance. When you slice it open, you will see yolks that are blue/green egg. A century egg may look a little off-putting, but we can assure you that’s not the case. In fact, despite appearances, the end result is a delicious creamy egg, enjoy! The ageing enhances and amps up the flavour.
Would you try a century egg? Here is brave Will on one of our tour trying out the Chinese delicacy.
We love introducing our guests to all manner of Hong Kong treats on our tours. It’s almost impossible to walk past a Hong Kong bakery without cajoling you to try and crumbly egg tart, or sweet pineapple bun. Street vendors often offer delicious egg waffles. The numerous wet market display fresh juicy fruits and we love dim sum. Please get in touch to find out more about our walking tours of Hong Kong. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, don’t hesitate to enquire about our new Vegetarian and Cultural Group Tour.
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