Preserved egg is a type of egg traditionally made in China by preserving the egg for weeks or months in a mixture of clay, salt, wood ash, and quicklime. During this process, egg white turns gold or dark brown and becomes gelatinous, and egg yolk becomes dark green, with a squishy consistency. It is one of the best-loved ingredients in Asian cuisine, yet it is hardly appreciated in the west. As someone that has enjoyed the taste of preserved eggs since childhood, I deeply believe that it is usually misunderstood, stigmatized, and falsely served in the west. Personally, I prefer cooked preserved eggs, and I always believe that diced preserved eggs served as part of congee along with sliced pork would be much more acceptable to foreigners trying the ingredient for the first time. As a result, I have always wanted to repair preserved egg’s reputation by making people tasting Preserved Egg & Pork Congee. When I got positive feedback I not only felt successfully defending an ingredient that I love, but also felt successfully defending myself. To me, preserved egg is more than just a Chinese ingredient, it’s also a part of Chinese culture that is misunderstood and condemned. Therefore, as a Chinese, I always think that I am responsible for preserved egg’s and other Chinese foods’ reputation, as if approval of preserved egg or Chinese cuisine equals approval of myself. In some way, it shows an outsider’s feeling of inferior and eager to be recognized. 

– Qingzi Fu

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