Century Eggs with Chilli-Soy Dressing (Pidan)
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats.
Lead-free century eggs cut into neat wedges and dressed with soy, rice vinegar, sesame and chilli oils, garlic and ginger, finished with fresh chilli, spring onion and coriander. Ready in 15 minutes.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Peel and air. Crack off the clay or shell coating, peel the eggs and rinse them under cold water. Leave them on a plate for 10 min; the sharp, ammonia-like aroma from the cure fades as they sit in the air.
- 2
Cut into wedges. Dip the knife in hot water and wipe it between cuts, or press a taut thread through the egg, to cut each one lengthways into 6 wedges. A warm, clean blade glides through the soft yolk instead of smearing it. Fan the wedges on the plate.
- 3
Mix the dressing. In the small bowl, stir the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, chilli oil, sugar, garlic and ginger until the sugar has dissolved. The sugar and vinegar balance the egg's rich, savoury depth.
- 4
Dress and serve. Spoon the dressing over the eggs and scatter with chilli, spring onion and coriander. Serve straight away, cold, as a starter or alongside rice congee.
Storage
Best eaten as soon as it is dressed. Unpeeled century eggs keep in a cool, dry cupboard until the date on the pack; peeled leftovers keep covered in the fridge for 1 day. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- small bowl
- sharp knife or length of clean thread
- serving plate
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 141 kcal |
| Protein | 8.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 2.7 g |
| of which sugars | 1.4 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.5 g |
| Fat | 10.5 g |
| of which saturates | 2.5 g |
| Fibre | 0.3 g |
| Salt | 1.74 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
6 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
