The egg inside will be dark and shiny, with white fractured patterns on the surface. ![]() Using a spoon or knife to crack the eggshell, it can easily be peeled. "In addition, they have a milder ammonia smell," Tao said. It has become an annual routine for Tao to ask Shen to preserve duck eggs for him every spring. "Shen's eggs taste really good, different from those bought in the supermarket!" said villager Tao Munan. They need to be tightly wrapped in a sealed bag, and kept in a damp place for about 25 to 30 days before they are ready for the dining table. The eggs look even uglier when they are covered with a thick layer of brittle, light brown chaff. He rolls the eggs onto his self-made trough that is filled with pounded rice husks. The eggs are first immersed in the marinade and taken out gently with Shen's homemade fork that won't break their shells. "You don't need to know that much," the chef said with a grin. He fell silent when asked the detailed formula including ratio of ingredients or his cooking time and method. The mixture needs to be constantly stirred until it becomes smooth and even, resulting in a muddy brine.īut that was all of the secret recipe he would share. The secret lies in the marinade he invented – food-grade alkali, lime, tea leaves, salt, white vinegar, white wine and other ingredients. ![]() "I've got my recipe – top secret!" Shen said with pride. With his tailor-made tools – a bucket, a homemade fork, and a self-made trough – the creative and skilled food master has earned the reputation as an "egg king" in the town. The chef Shen Boling has been doing nothing but making the eggs for the past 50 years. Preserved egg in rice husk is a centuries-old delicacy that has fed generations in Xinbang Town, and its cooking technique has been listed as a district-level intangible cultural heritage. Pidan, or preserved egg, a famous Chinese snack with, to some, an unpleasant smell and an unappetizing black appearance, is what most foreign diners call "ugly food." This dark cuisine that at first glance may seem off-putting, however, is a delicacy for Songjiang locals. This cooking skill is listed as Songjiang's district-level intangible cultural heritage. ![]() Shen Boling (left) makes pidan, or preserved eggs, at his home in Xinbang Town.
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