During my last trip to wonderland, I planned to pick up some Century Duck Eggs for a friend in need. You must be careful when picking up eggs in a Chinese supermarket, because right next to those creamy black and amber delights are other types of duck eggs; some intriguing and others with questionable ethics. If you pluck the eggs on the far right, you will end up with duck fetus eggs, or balut. I understand it's a cultural thing and a delicacy, but I draw the line there. I couldn't ethically bring myself to eating an almost hatched egg. I read that some like them up to the maturity where they have a light duvet. It's probably delicious, but it's not for me although I consider myself adventurous. I'd eat a grilled scorpion or toasted grasshoppers any day, but not that.
The other type of egg you can find there is the salted duck egg. I've seen that in a few different recipes and felt so curious I picked up a 6 pack and decided to offer them along with the Century eggs.
The salted duck egg is one that has been placed in a brine (saturated salt water solution) for about 1 month as a preservation method. The eggs must then be cooked before eaten. These are usually eaten hard boiled an then mixed into congee (something I should probably get around to making). Sometimes the raw yolk is used as a dressing or stir fry sauce, with the raw white discarded.
I was supposed to be offering these, but as I waited for the gift retrieval day, every time I opened my fridge, these eggs would scream "Please taste me!!!!!!!"
As I have a hard time giving into temptation, I decided to sample one or 2 of these little delights.
12 minutes in the steamer and they were done. They would be a perfect topping to my evening Japchae and Kimchi plan.
The other type of egg you can find there is the salted duck egg. I've seen that in a few different recipes and felt so curious I picked up a 6 pack and decided to offer them along with the Century eggs.
The salted duck egg is one that has been placed in a brine (saturated salt water solution) for about 1 month as a preservation method. The eggs must then be cooked before eaten. These are usually eaten hard boiled an then mixed into congee (something I should probably get around to making). Sometimes the raw yolk is used as a dressing or stir fry sauce, with the raw white discarded.
I was supposed to be offering these, but as I waited for the gift retrieval day, every time I opened my fridge, these eggs would scream "Please taste me!!!!!!!"
As I have a hard time giving into temptation, I decided to sample one or 2 of these little delights.
12 minutes in the steamer and they were done. They would be a perfect topping to my evening Japchae and Kimchi plan.
Once the eggs are cooked, peel them and please do not just take a bite. The outer white part is extremely salty and having a mouthful of just the white would be more of a punishment than a discovery. The inner white part furthest from the shell is pleasantly edible with an interesting texture completely different from "normal" egg whites.
The best way is to use it completely (white and yolk) crumbled on a soup or stir fry as I did with my Japchae. If you want to get a pure sample, scoop out the yolk which should have an amazing oily spreadable texture and place this nectar directly into your mouth.
Your eyelids will flutter with a pleasant sting, and you will be baptized into yet another intriguing Asian egg eating circle.
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