Thousand Year Egg Congee Recipe

When making congee with century eggs, there's a classic dish known as Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee. As the name suggests, its main ingredients include century eggs, lean pork, and rice. Its origins can be traced back to the southern regions of China, and after centuries of development and evolution, it has become a well-known delicacy. The rich flavor of century eggs, the tender texture of lean pork, and the softness of rice combine perfectly to create a unique taste and flavor profile.

Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee is beloved for its simple home-cooking methods and lacks the stringent freshness requirements of beef or seafood congee. However, when many people make it at home, they often encounter a slight fishy smell and the congee may not be thick enough. There are specific techniques to address these issues, which I'll share with you below.

1.What is Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee?

Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee is associated with the scholar Lin Wensu from the Lingnan region. This congee was initially known as "Zhuangyuan Jidi Congee" and originated during the Ming Dynasty. According to legend, Lin Wensu excelled in the imperial examination, becoming a renowned scholar in the Lingnan area. To celebrate his success, people began making this congee to commemorate his achievement. The main ingredients of the congee include rice, century eggs, and lean pork, prepared through specific cooking methods. This congee is not only delicious but also symbolizes auspiciousness and success. As a result, it gradually became popular among the people and has since become one of the traditional snacks in Guangdong Province.

2.What are the ingredients?

Century egg: Also known as preserved egg, hundred-year egg, or thousand-year egg, century egg is a distinctive Chinese egg-based delicacy. It is made by preserving duck, chicken, or quail eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, quicklime, and rice hulls for several weeks to several months. This process causes chemical changes in the egg, resulting in a translucent, dark brown to greenish-black color of the egg white and a creamy, dark green to grey yolk with a strong flavor.

Lean pork: When making century egg and lean pork congee, it's not suitable to use fatty pork belly. It's best to use tenderloin, as it's less greasy and has a tender texture when eaten.

Rice: Generally, most types of rice are suitable. You can choose rice according to your preference.

Seasonings: Salt, ginger, cooking wine, chicken bouillon, etc., are common seasonings needed for making Chinese cuisine.

These ingredients are typically available at Asian supermarkets.

3.How to prepare century eggs?

Choose high-quality century eggs. High-quality century eggs have intact shells without any cracks, a natural grey-white color, and minimal or no black spots. Wash them thoroughly and then cut into small pieces. If they are sticky and difficult to cut, you can boil them in hot water for about 8 minutes, then soak them in cold water for a minute before cutting. This not only makes cutting easier but also helps remove any unwanted odor.

4.How to handle meat?

Slice lean pork into thin strips or mince it, then marinate with salt and cooking wine for 15 minutes. This helps lock in the moisture of the meat, resulting in a tender texture, while also eliminating any unwanted odor.

5.What tools to use?

I use an electric rice cooker here, which is generally suitable for cooking congee because it allows better temperature control. If you have a clay pot at home, it's even better for those who prefer a thicker texture. Cooking congee in a clay pot results in a thicker consistency and smoother texture.

Today, I'm sharing with you all this beloved dish, Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee. The congee is simmered to perfection, fragrant, soft, and smooth, with no hint of any fishy taste. I'll share the detailed recipe with you all, so let's take a look together!