Chinese Tea Eggs An Authentic Food

CHINESE TEA EGGS

Steps:

• Bring the eggs to the boil and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
• Drain and cool. When cool enough to handle, gently crack the egg's shell all over without removing the shell.
• Place back in the pan, cover the eggs with water, add the remaining ingredients and bring back to boil, turn down and simmer on low heat for an hour or more, this helps the flavours infuse the egg.
• Drain once more. Eggs can be eaten hot or cold and should have an attractive marble effect.

CHINESE TEA EGGS (W/ SOFT AND HARD BOILED EGGS, 茶叶蛋)

Steps:

• Mix all the marinade ingredients in a small pot. Cook over medium heat until bringing to a boil. Turn to medium-low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from your stove and let cool completely. Once done, remove and discard the tea bags.
• To boil the eggs, heat a pot of water (enough to cover all the eggs) over high heat until boiling. Turn to low heat. Carefully place the eggs in the pot using a ladle, to prevent the eggs from cracking.
• Boil 5 minutes for soft-boiled eggs, 7 minutes for medium eggs, or 10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.
• While cooking the eggs, prepare an ice bath by combining ice and tap water in a big bowl.
• Once the eggs are cooked, immediately transfer them to the ice bath to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. If you don't have ice on hand, simply run cool tap water over the eggs for a couple minutes until they cool down.
• Gently crack the eggs using the back of a spoon. You want to make sure the egg shells are cracked enough so the marinade will reach the interior, without cracking the eggs apart (especially if you made soft boiled eggs). If you're in a hurry, you can also peel the eggs and marinate them peeled. The eggs will be ready in 12 hours this way.
• Transfer the eggs to a quart-size ziplock bag, then carefully pour in the marinade along with the dry ingredients. Marinate overnight for peeled eggs, or 24 hours for cracked "marble" eggs.
• Peel the eggs and enjoy them cold or at room temperature!
• You can store the leftover eggs in the marinade for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. The marinade will help with preserving the eggs. Note, the eggs will become more flavorful and saltier over time.

CHINESE TEA EGGS (MARBLED EGGS)

Steps:

• Clean the eggs and then place in a deep sauce pot. Add enough cold water to cover. Start with medium fire, bring the content to a boiling and then let it simmer for 4 to 5 minutes (hard boiled based on how soft you want the yolk to be). | for soft boiled eggs, place room temperature eggs gently with a help of strainer in boiling hot water, cook for 6 minutes. Transfer to cold or chilled water to cool down completely and then crack the eggs with a scoop carefully.
• Transfer to cold or chilled water to cool down completely and then crack the eggs with a scoop carefully. Place the eggs in a pot with a lid.
• In another the pot, add all seasoning (bay leaves, star anises, cassia bark, fennel seeds, salt and sugar ). Pour in around 800ml water and bring to a boiling, add tea leaves and simmer for 10 minutes.
• For hard boiled eggs| pour the liquid to the the pot with cracked eggs. Soak overnight with lid covered. For soft boiled eggs| wait until the liquid becomes room temperature and then pour the liquid to soak the eggs overnight with lid covered.
• Re-heat if necessary or serve directly with noodles, porridge or other food.

CHINESE TEA LEAF EGGS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine eggs and 1 teaspoon salt; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and cool. When cool, tap eggs with the back of a spoon to crack shells (do not remove shells).
• In a large saucepan, combine 3 cups water, soy sauce, black soy sauce, salt, tea leaves, star anise, cinnamon stick, and tangerine zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 3 hours. Remove from heat, add eggs, and let steep for at least 8 hours.

CHINESE MARBLED TEA EGGS

Steps:

• Combine the tea bags, water and teriyaki sauce in medium saucepan, add eggs.
• Bring to full boil over high heat.
• Remove from heat; cover tightly and let stand for 20 minutes.
• Remove eggs, reserving the liquid.
• Place eggs under cold running water until cool enough to handle.
• Gently tap each eggshell with back of a metal spoon until eggs are covered with fine cracks (do NOT peel the eggs).
• Return the eggs to the reserved liquid.
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes.
• Drain off liquid and refrigerate eggs until chilled (about 1 hour).
• Peel carefully before serving.