Tea eggs are a popular Chinese snack made by simmering hard-boiled eggs in a flavorful tea and spice mixture. Here's a simple recipe to make tea eggs:
Ingredients:
- 6 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black tea leaves (or 2-3 black tea bags)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (optional)
- 1 star anise
- 1-2 pieces of whole cloves
- 1-2 pieces of cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon of sugar (optional)
- 1-2 cups water (enough to cover the eggs)
Instructions:
-
Boil the Eggs:
- Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover them with cold water.
- Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-12 minutes for fully cooked eggs.
- Once cooked, remove the eggs from the pot and place them in a bowl of cold water to cool. This makes peeling easier.
-
Crack the Shells:
- Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, gently tap each egg against a hard surface to crack the shells. Don’t peel the eggs; just crack them all over.
-
Prepare the Tea Mixture:
- In a separate pot, combine soy sauce, tea leaves (or tea bags), rice vinegar, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, sugar (if using), and enough water to cover the eggs.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
-
Simmer the Eggs:
- Add the cracked eggs to the tea mixture and ensure they are submerged. If necessary, you can add more water to cover them completely.
- Simmer the eggs on low heat for at least 1-2 hours. For more intense flavor, you can simmer them longer or let them soak in the mixture off the heat for several hours or overnight.
-
Cool and Serve:
- Once the eggs have absorbed the flavors, remove them from the pot and let them cool. You can peel them to eat or serve them with the shells on for a decorative presentation.
-
Enjoy:
- You can eat tea eggs warm or cold. They make a great snack or addition to rice dishes.
Tips:
- The longer the eggs soak in the tea mixture, the more flavorful they will be. You can store them in the refrigerator for a few days for even richer flavor.
- Experiment with spices to tailor the flavor to your liking!
Enjoy your tea eggs!