Chinese Tea Eggs
Chinese Tea Eggs (cha ye dan, 茶叶蛋). These aromatic tea eggs can be enjoyed alone or as a topping for noodle soup and rice dishes. In China, they are a popular breakfast item sold in 7-Eleven and breakfast stores, usually cooked for hours. That is because back when there were no refrigerators, street vendors had to keep the pot hot all day to prevent spoilage. While it's not necessary to boil them for that long today, many people continue to do so out of tradition, but with my method, you can cook the eggs to your preferred doneness while maintaining their flavor and beautiful marble pattern. Refrigerate 24 hours.
⏱️ Prep: 30 min🍳 Cook: 10 min
Ingredients
| 8-10 | eggs |
| 1.6 g | star anise |
| 0.8 g | bay leaves |
| 2.7 g | whole Sichuan peppercorns |
| 2.5 g | cinnamon stick (about 1) |
| 9 g | garlic, crushed (3 cloves) |
| 1 g | dried red chilies, optional |
| 100 g | soy sauce |
| 42 g | dark soy sauce |
| 12.5 g | brown sugar |
| 5.7 g | salt |
| 10 g | black tea leaves |
| 600 g | water |
Instructions
- Take the eggs out of the fridge and let them sit on the counter for 30 minutes to reach room temperature.
- Add the eggs, star anise, bay leaves, Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon stick, dried red chilies (optional), garlic cloves, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, black tea, and water into the pot. Chef's Secret: Please choose an appropriate-sized pot that fits all the eggs in one layer without leaving empty space. Otherwise, you have to add more water in order to immerse everything, which will dilute the seasonings.
- Bring the pot to a boil over medium heat. Stay nearby to start timing as soon as the brine comes to a boil so you don't lose track of the doneness.
- Boil the eggs for 4 minutes for runny yolk eggs, 7 minutes for medium-soft eggs, and 10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs. During the boiling, lightly tap each egg with two spoons to break the shells. This is an important step for the flavor to infuse deeply.
- Transfer the eggs to an ice bath for 2-3 minutes to stop the cooking process. Meanwhile, let the bottom of the pot touch the ice water and swirl for a few minutes or until the brine cools to lukewarm.
- Pour the tea brine into a nonreactive container. Remove the eggs from the ice water and soak them in the tea brine in the fridge for at least 24 hours before eating. This allows the marinade to seep through the cracks, creating beautiful marble patterns.
- Tea eggs can be kept refrigerated for up to 5 days. Just be aware that they will become more flavorful and saltier over time. They can be enjoyed cold or at room temperature. Reheating is possible, but it may alter the yolk's texture. Egg Doneness Guide: 4 min - runny yolk; 7 min - medium boiled; 10 min - hard boiled; 40 min - traditional Chinese tea eggs. How to save and reuse the tea brine: After eating all the eggs, strain out the spices and bring the brine to a boil. Store it in a sealed jar in the freezer for up to 4 months. When making tea eggs again, boil the eggs directly in the brine. Add more spices, tea leaves, seasonings, and water to taste, as the brine's flavor may have diminished.