10 minutes Cold Silken Tofu with Century Egg 皮蛋豆腐
If there is one appetizer that reminds me of Taiwan and home, it is Cold Silken Tofu with Century Egg 皮蛋豆腐. Century Egg with Silken Tofu is a classic appetizer that takes only 10 minutes to make at home. This easy appetizer is the perfect recipe to introduce someone to Century Egg for the first time! Thank me later, because this might be your new favorite dish to share.
Century Egg with Spicy Cold Tofu
Nothing beats a refreshing and savory Century Egg with Silken Tofu on a hot summer day in Taiwan. The umami-packed century egg is paired with cold and silky tofu. Then, it’s finished off with a savory and spicy garlic chili sauce. The first time I tried this dish, I was so shocked, because it was my first time having Century Eggs. It looks really intimidating, but with this dish, I actually really enjoyed that creaminess of the century egg that compliments the cold tofu well. Smash everything together, so you get the perfect bite every single time.
Ingredients For Cold Tofu with Century Eggs
- 1 pack silken tofu around 750g
- 3 Century Egg sliced
- 4 cloves Garlic chopped
- 2 stalks green onion chopped
- 2-3 red chili chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- ½ tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 3 tablespoons Oil
- Cilantro to garnish
What is Century Egg?
The main star of the dish is Pi dan 皮蛋, also known as century egg and 1000-year-old egg. Century eggs are preserved duck eggs cured in an alkaline solution. They have a black-brown, gelatinous egg white, with a creamy, greyish egg yolk. Similar to cheese, the aged smell may take you by surprise when you first try it. But the the savory and umami flavor adds so much depth and flavor to a dish.
If it’s your first time, and you are worried, try steaming the egg for 5 minutes. After steaming, the inside yolk will become less runny, and the flavour will be more mild.
Silken Tofu
Silken tofu is the softest possible tofu texture. It has a very high water content and a delicate protein structure, so it comes out of the package as a smooth, wobbly jelly-like block. That creamy, delicate texture is exactly why it’s the bet thing to pair with century egg. It can also be called “Soft tofu” on the packaging. Soft tofu does not need to be cooked, but tastes like unflavored soy milk. So, it’ll need extra seasoning to really make it shine.
To prepare your tofu, cut a slight opening at the pack, and peel off the plastic. Gently put the tofu upside down on some paper towels to soak up the water. If you are unable to get silken tofu, you can still make this recipe by steaming other tofu textures like medium or firm tofu for 5 minutes.
Easy Chili Soy Sauce
Cold tofu doesn’t have much flavor besides the natural soybean taste. So, adding this easy chili oil soy sauce will blend the flavors into a savory, fragrant bite. Plus, the addition of extra chilis and aromatics help lessen the intense flavors of the century egg. It’s first made by drizzling hot oil over green onions, chili, and garlic so the aromatic flavors are released. Then, add in soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sesame oil and a pinch of sugar. Some people also enjoy it with a little vinegar as well! I will sometimes make this sauce ahead of time, and keep in the fridge until I’m ready to eat. In the summer, this gives you a cold sauce that won’t warm up the tofu!
How To Make Cold Tofu with Century Eggs
- Prepare the sauce by heating 3 tablespoons of hot oil.
- Add chopped green onion, garlic, and red chili in a bowl. Once the oil is hot, drizzle the oil over the ingredients.
- Drizzle in soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetarian oyster sauce, and a pinch of sugar. Mix well and set aside
- To present the dish, add the silken tofu in the middle of the plate. Surround the tofu with century egg, and finish by drizzling the sauce and garnishing with cilantro.
If you want more TAIWANESE RECIPES, here are some of my go-to that you will love!
- Taiwanese 3 Cup Chicken Wings
- Instant Pot Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
- Traditional Taiwanese Braised Pork Hock
- Dan Bing – Classic Taiwanese Egg Roll (15 Minutes!)
Century Egg with Silken Tofu
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
- 1 pack silken tofu around 750g
- 3 Century Egg sliced
- 4 cloves Garlic chopped
- 2 stalks green onion chopped
- 2-3 red chili chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- ½ tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 3 tablespoons Oil
- Cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce by heating 3 tablespoons of hot oil.
- Add chopped green onion, garlic, and red chili in a bowl. Once the oil is hot, drizzle the oil over the ingredients.
- Drizzle in soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetarian oyster sauce, and a pinch of sugar. Mix well and set aside
- To present the dish, add the silken tofu in the middle of the plate. Surround the tofu with century egg, and finish by drizzling the sauce and garnishing with cilantro.
This basically tastes the same as Chinese restaurants at a fraction of the price, and the tip to steam the pitan is a neat trick! Thank you!
So delicious and quick! The flavours are balanced perfectly. A perfect and complete meal with some rice.
Century egg seems a little scary but honestly it was a lot better than I thought!
I really like how the creamy tofu balances the rich flavor of the century egg.