Chinese tea leaf eggs
Chinese tea leaf eggs, also known as "cha ye dan" or "marbled eggs," are a popular and flavorful snack or side dish. They are made by simmering hard-boiled eggs in a mixture of tea leaves and spices, which imparts a beautiful marbled pattern and a fragrant, savory flavor to the eggs. Here's how to make Chinese tea leaf eggs:
Yield: 5
Cost: $2
Materials
For the eggs:
- 6-8 large eggs
For the tea leaf mixture:
- 2-3 tablespoons loose black tea leaves (you can use pu-erh tea or any strong black tea)
- 2-3 star anise pods
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 2-3 slices of ginger
- 1-2 dried tangerine or mandarin orange peels (optional)
- 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1-2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns (optional, for a slight numbing sensation)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)
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 to low and simmer the eggs for about 10-12 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.
- After cooking, immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool them rapidly. This helps in easy peeling later.
Crack the Eggs:
- Once the eggs are cool, gently crack the shells all over using the back of a spoon. Be careful not to peel the eggs; you just want to create cracks.
Prepare the Tea Leaf Mixture:
- In a separate pot, add enough water to cover the eggs and bring it to a boil.
- Add the cracked eggs to the boiling water and let them simmer for about 2-3 minutes. This step will help the flavors penetrate the eggs.
Create the Marbling Mixture:
- In a different pot or heatproof container, combine the tea leaves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, ginger, dried tangerine peels (if using), dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, salt, Sichuan peppercorns (if using), and crushed garlic (if using).
- Pour in enough water to cover the eggs and create the marbling mixture.
Simmer the Eggs in the Marbling Mixture:
- Carefully transfer the pre-boiled and cracked eggs into the marbling mixture.
- Bring the marbling mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the eggs have achieved the desired marbling pattern and flavor. Stir occasionally.
Cool and Serve:
- Once the eggs are done simmering, turn off the heat and let them cool in the liquid.
- You can serve the tea leaf eggs warm or refrigerate them for a few hours or overnight for even better flavor.