A duck (or chicken) egg cured in an alkaline mix until the yolk turns dark green-grey and creamy and the white becomes a translucent amber jelly. An ancient preservation method that concentrates the egg's nutrients.
In diverse urban neighborhoods, Black families and Asian communities have long shared corner stores and food cultures. The century egg is part of that everyday cross-cultural exchange that broadened the Black urban pantry.
The alkaline cure preserves and concentrates the egg's complete protein, choline, B12, and iron without cooking heat. The result is a shelf-stable nutrient package — choline for brain function, B12 and iron supporting blood health. As a preserved food it carries no probiotics but represents the same ancestral wisdom of curing protein for lean times that Black foodways share through salting and pickling.
Peel and rinse; the cured egg is ready to eat with no cooking. Slice and serve with pickled ginger and soy, fold into congee, or dice over rice. The flavor is strong, ammoniated, and rich — best balanced with sharp, acidic, or savory accompaniments.
Free, no account needed to ask.