Wine Lees Preserved Egg (Zao Dan)
殻まで柔らかくなる！？紹興酒の香りが染み込んだ「酔っぱらい卵」
Description
A traditional fermented egg from Jiangnan (Shanghai/Zhejiang). Duck (or chicken) eggs are buried in sake lees (Xiang Zao) from brewing Shaoxing wine, along with salt and sugar, for months. Long-term curing dissolves the shell's calcium, making it soft, and permeates the yolk with intense alcohol aroma and umami.
Classification: Hardcore, Ingredient, Egg Products, Delicacy, Zao Dan, Sake Lees, Fermented Food, Jiangnan Cuisine
Shops selling Wine Lees Preserved Egg (Zao Dan)
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The How to use section below is a general reference, not instructions from the listed shops.
How to use
Ingredients
- Duck eggs(or Chicken eggs)
- Sake lees(Xiang Zao)
- Salt
- Sugar
- Shaoxing wine
Instructions
- [Typical Uses]
- [Straight as a snack]: Peel (or break the softened shell) and eat raw or slightly steamed. The intense alcohol aroma makes it the ultimate companion for congee or Baijiu.
- Chop and mix into meatball or steamed meat sauces.
Learn more Substitutes, pairings, tips
Key spices
Different from Pidan or salted eggs; intense mellow Shaoxing wine aroma and aged-cheese depth
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Soak boiled eggs in JP sake lees, mirin, and salt for days (alcohol feel will be weaker)
Pairing
Plain Congee / Shaoxing Wine / Baijiu
Trivia
'Pinghu Zao Dan' from Zhejiang was prized as an imperial tribute since the Qing Dynasty. Because the shell completely dissolves into a thin membrane during production, scooping it with a spoon is the correct way to eat it.
Eating tips & etiquette
One of China's traditional preserved eggs alongside Pidan and Xian Dan. The alcohol content is quite high; people with low tolerance might actually get drunk eating it.
Allergen
Eggs, Wheat