Description
Tea eggs are steeped in a savory blend of tea, soy sauce, and aromatic spices, creating a marbled appearance and rich flavor. They are a popular snack across Asia, often enjoyed for their umami taste and beautiful spiderweb like pattern.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10–12 Eggs
- 3 cups water
- 3 black tea bags
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 star anise
- 4 dried chili
- 3 bay leaves
- 1–2 tbsp rock sugar
Instructions
- For hard boiled eggs: Place the eggs in a pot and cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a boil. Bring down to a simmer, cover the pot with a lid, and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Once cooked, remove the eggs and place them in a bowl of ice water to cool down.
- Once the eggs are cool enough to touch, gently crack the shells with the back of a spoon. You want to create cracks that allow the tea and spices to seep in, creating the signature marble look.
- In a large pot, add the cracked eggs, water, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cinnamon, star anise, dried chili, bay leaves, rock sugar, and black tea bags.
- Bring the tea mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let the eggs simmer for at least an hour. The longer they simmer, the more intense flavor and color. Alternatively, you can leave the eggs soaked in the tea mixture overnight or 24 hours before serving.
- Once the eggs have absorbed all the marinade, remove them from the pot. Peel the beautiful shell and enjoy! Tea eggs can be served warm or cold, as a snack, side dish, or as an addition to a bowl of rice or noodle.