Sweet Fermented Rice with Silkie Chicken Eggs

Why people make this dish

Nourilo first demonstrated this dish at a postnatal care class — a student had brought along a beautifully aromatic bottle of home-made glutinous rice wine, and there was also a container of the leftover fermented rice lees. He had a student spontaneously offer to demonstrate her version of “fermented rice eggs” — and while the final result was a little too wine-heavy and overcooked (the egg aroma was buried under alcohol), it was a charming moment. Afterwards, Nourilo shared his own preferred method: the key is to use just enough fermented rice, add the eggs gently into a barely simmering broth, and keep the heat low so the eggs cook through without becoming rubbery or producing excessive foam.

The result is a silky, naturally sweet, warming dessert-tonic. Osmanthus sugar (a common ingredient in traditional southern Chinese sweets) adds a floral fragrance and its own mildly beneficial properties — moistening the lungs, soothing the liver, and refreshing the breath. For women, this dish is particularly associated with brightening the complexion, supporting bust fullness (through blood-nourishing effect), and nourishing yin and blood — hence its reputation as a “women’s friend.”