Tea Egg
Hard-boiled eggs, their shells gently cracked all over rather than peeled, simmered and steeped in a tea-soy-spice brine that seeps through the fractures to create the dish's signature marbled pattern. A centuries-old tradition shared across mainland China and Taiwan, where it remains a defining fixture of nearly every convenience store and night market.
Vegetarian
⚠ Contains: Egg, Soy. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 8 eggs
- 3 black tea bags, or 3 tbsp loose black tea
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 star anise pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 liter water
Steps
- Place the eggs in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer 9-10 minutes for a fully set but still tender yolk. Cool in cold water.
- Gently tap each egg all over with the back of a spoon to create a network of cracks, without removing the shell.
- Combine the water, tea, soy sauces, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, sugar, and salt in a pot, bring to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes to infuse.
- Add the cracked eggs and return to a gentle simmer for 30-40 minutes, topping up water if needed to keep the eggs submerged.
- Turn off the heat and let the eggs steep in the brine, ideally overnight or at least several hours, for full marbling and flavor.
- Peel just before serving to reveal the marbled pattern; serve warm or at room temperature.