Thousand-year-old Eggs

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Title: THOUSAND-YEAR-OLD EGGS
Categories: Cheese/eggs, Chinese
Yield: 12 servings

2 c Very strong black tea
1/3 c Salt
2 c Each ashes of pine wood,
Ashes of charcoal and ashes
From fireplace
1 c Lime*
12 Fresh duck eggs

These are often called thousand-year eggs, even
though the preserving process lasts only 100 days.
They may be purchased individually in Oriental markets.

Combine tea, salt, ashes and lime. Using about 1/2
cup per egg, thickly coat each egg completely with
this clay-like mix- ture. Line a large crock with
garden soil and carefully lay coated eggs on top.
Cover with more soil and place crock in a cool dark
place. Allow to cure for 100 days. To remove coating,
scrape eggs and rinse under running water to clean
thoroughly.
Crack lightly and remove shells. The white of the egg
will appear a grayish, translucent color and have a
gelatinous texture. The yolk, when sliced, will be a
grayish-green color.

To serve, cut into wedges and serve with:

Sweet pickled scallions or any sweet pickled
vegetable

Sauce of 2 tablespoons each vinegar, soy sauce and
rice wine and 1 tablespoon minced ginger root.

*Available in garden stores and nurseries.

The description of the whites turning grayish
isn't quite accurate from the ones I've seen. They're
more a dark blackish amber color-- quite attractive
actually.

From "The Regional Cooking of China" by Margret
Gin and Alfred E. Castle, 101 Productions, San
Francisco, 1975.

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