Tea Leaf Eggs
User Reviews
5
Tea Leaf Eggs
Description
Tea Leaf Eggs are prepared by boiling eggs fully, lightly cracking their shells to allow flavor penetration, then simmering them gently in a seasoned broth containing soy sauce, pu-erh tea leaves, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, five-spice powder, and sugar. The eggs simultaneously cook further and absorb the spicy, umami-rich infusion.
The resulting eggs showcase a distinctive marbled pattern on the whites where the dark tea mixture seeps through cracks. The flavor is savory and mildly spiced, balanced by the slightly sweet and earthy background from the tea and sugar.
These eggs can be served warm immediately after simmering or left to steep overnight for deeper flavor and darker marbling. They are often eaten as a snack or side dish and complement rice or congee meals. The infusion time allows customization based on taste intensity preferences.
Boiling the eggs for about 10 minutes ensures a firm yolk. Cracking without peeling is key to achieving the marbling effect. Maintaining the simmer gently prevents overcooking while fully developing flavor from the tea and spices.
Ingredients
- 12 egg
- 4 cups water
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce low-sodium
- 3 tablespoons pu-erh tea leaf Chinese
- 1 tick cinnamon
- 1 star anise
- 3 cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Add 4 cups of water to a medium pot and gently place the eggs in it, ensuring they are fully submerged. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and boil for approximately 10 minutes to ensure the eggs are fully cooked.
- Transfer the hard-boiled eggs from the boiling water and rinse them under cold water. Using the back of a teaspoon, gently tap the eggshells to crack them. Return the eggs to the water and add the remaining ingredients.
- Bring the tea mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour (the longer the simmering, the better the taste). Add more water if needed. Serve immediately, or leave the tea eggs in the mixture overnight to further enhance their color and flavor.
Notes
- Boil eggs for 10 minutes until fully cooked and firm before cracking the shells.
- Crack shells gently with the back of a spoon or by rolling to allow tea mixture absorption.
- Simmer eggs in the tea mixture at low heat for at least 1 hour for flavor infusion; longer simmering deepens the marbling and taste.
- Optionally, steep the cracked eggs overnight in the tea mixture to enhance color and flavor intensity.
- Add dark soy sauce to the tea mixture if a darker color and stronger flavor are desired.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 70 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 12people | |
| Calories | 70kcal | 4% |
| Carbohydrates | 1g | 0% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 4g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 163mg | 54% |
| Sodium | 479mg | 20% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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