How To Make Chinese Tofu With 1000 Year Old Egg
Mar 24th, 2009 by admin
On our traveleating trip to Hong Kong, Macau and Beijing last October, I was reminded of how much I enjoy the unique taste of thousand year old egg (if you don’t know what thousand year old egg is, it’s all explained in this earlier post). I had it first at Yung Kee in Hong Kong, sliced in half and served with gari (sushi ginger). Then I had it in Noodle Bar in Beijing, chopped into small cubes and served with chilled tofu and sesame oil (see photo below). It was a very simply prepared side dish that I’ve wanted to recreate ever since. As with most dishes, there are various ways of making this.
I’ve never bought thousand year olds eggs before to prepare at home, so I went to investigate at See Woo Chinese supermarket on Lisle Street in Chinatown (London). They are sold in cartons of 6, just like you would buy normal eggs, and cost just under £4.00. They last for months if stored in a cool, dark place, so don’t worry about having to use them all in one or two dishes.
Ingredients: (serves 2 as a side dish or snack)
- 1 block of Japanese silken tofu (you can also buy tofu fresh from a Chinese supermarket, but the Japanese pre-packed tofu is so convenient as you can store it in a cupboard for months until you need it. Pop into fridge to chill before cutting it up)
- 1 thousand year old egg
- 1 spring onion
- sesame oil
- light soy sauce
What to do next:
Drain the block of tofu and cut into small cubes. You don’t have to do this, but it’s easier to serve and eat if it’s chopped up this way. Or you could try and recreate the above pineapple effect! Add to a small bowl.
Peel a thousand year old egg and chop into small pieces. The yolk is lovely and gooey, so it can get a bit messy. Arrange on top of the tofu.
Finely chop a spring onion to use as garnish.
Drizzle some sesame oil and light soy sauce over the egg and tofu, then add the spring onion. Taste before adding more, as it shouldn’t taste too strong.
Thousand year old egg isn’t to everyone’s taste, but I wouldn’t dismiss it before trying it once in your lifetime! You might also like it in congee, which I made recently.
See more Chinese recipes on World Foodie Guide.
I am so, so intrigued by the thousand year old egg! I have never even come close to eating one. I think I may do as you suggest and try one in a restaurant before I buy some to take home, providing I like them of course!! I’ve not come across anything yet that I didn’t like but of course, there’s always a first time for everything..
I’m very intrigued and will have to find some, thankfully my neighborhood is full of great Asian markets so I may not have to go to far.
Helen – It certainly is an acquired taste, and one you’ll soon find out about on Sunday!
Great photo. what did you eat with it?
I love 1000 year old egg! It’s so silky and creamy (you just have to ignore the colour and listen to your tastebuds!). It’s wonderful with silken tofu – I’ve never seen that pineapple effect though – cool! I’m going to google a way to do it
Thanks for the inspiration Helen!
Helen – hmmm. Not sure what you’ll make of it! There’s the texture of the ‘white’ which is dark in colour and then the yolk which is gooey. I’ll bring you an egg on Sunday if I can remember!
OysterCulture – you’ve not tried thousand year old egg before? I hope you’ll like it!
Lizzie – nothing, it’s just a side dish, so I ate it on its own, all by myself!
Christie – hurray, a fan of 1000 year old egg! Good luck recreating the pineapple effect and please let me know if you achieve it. I’m not that artistic!
Helen Yuet Ling
This is a great blog site. I just love specially the chinese tofu and century eggs.