CHINESE TEA EGGS

Tea eggs are a traditional Chinese snack enjoyed by many as a breakfast item. They are known for their rich flavor infused with the aroma and taste of tea. Tea eggs are high in protein and low in calories. They have gained popularity not only in China but also among many people in other countries.

6 Reviews
8 Comments
POSTED:26/06/2024
Level:Medium
Yield:3-4 servings
Total:3 hr 0 min
(includes chilling time)
Active:5 min

Many people love eating tea eggs, but when they try making them at home, they often struggle to achieve the authentic Chinese flavor. This is usually because of incorrect cooking methods. Today, I'll share with you my grandmother's method for making tea eggs, which results in exceptionally delicious eggs. You won't regret it! Join me in learning how to make tea eggs!


1. What is Tea Egg?

Tea egg is a traditional and famous snack in China, found in most regions of the country. It is a boiled egg flavored with tea during the cooking process, sometimes also seasoned with additional spices. Due to its simple preparation and convenient portability, tea eggs are often sold freshly cooked in small pots at places like train stations, street corners, and areas with high foot traffic, making them both affordable and appealing.

Tea eggs can be enjoyed as a meal or as a snack during leisure time, offering both practicality and a touch of culinary charm. During the boiling process, a small amount of tea is added, resulting in eggs with a brownish-yellow hue.


2. How to Infuse Flavor into Tea Eggs?

If you've observed Chinese tea eggs, you'll notice that they are not smooth after being boiled; instead, they have marbled patterns. This is because after boiling the eggs, people typically crack the eggshells lightly to allow the tea and spices to penetrate the eggs, enhancing their flavor.

When making tea eggs at home, you should follow this method as well. However, it's crucial to wait until the eggs are fully cooked before cracking the shells. Use gentle force to crack them to avoid breaking the eggs apart.


3. Alternatives for Tea Eggs

Eggs: Typically, Chinese tea eggs are made with chicken eggs. Therefore, it's best to use chicken eggs when making tea eggs. However, if you don't enjoy chicken eggs, you can substitute them with quail eggs.

Tea: Many people wonder what type of tea is best for making tea eggs. In fact, there's no specific tea required for tea eggs. You can use any tea you have at home. Personally, I often use black tea or jasmine tea. Other types of tea such as oolong, pu'er, white tea, etc., are also suitable for this recipe.


4. What Spices to Add to Tea Eggs?

When cooking tea eggs, people add spices primarily to enhance the flavor of the eggs. Commonly used spices include star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorns. For those who enjoy spiciness, dried chili peppers are also added.

Important Tip: The spices added to tea eggs are not fixed; you can adjust them according to your personal taste preferences.


5. Do You Need to Add Soy Sauce When Boiling Tea Eggs?

In China, when boiling tea eggs, people often add some soy sauce. The main purpose of adding soy sauce is to enhance the color of the tea eggs, making them more visually appealing, while also improving their flavor. Sometimes, people also add a bit of cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) to help remove any undesirable odors and enhance the aroma.


6. How to Achieve a Beautiful Marble Effect in Tea Eggs?

There are three factors that affect the marble pattern effect. Please note:

1. Soaking Time: Generally, the longer the eggs are soaked in the marinade, the more pronounced the marble pattern will appear.

2. Tea: Typically, black tea (known as 红茶 in Chinese) provides the darkest color.

3. Soy Sauce: It is recommended not to overlook soy sauce, a common ingredient in Chinese cuisine used for coloring foods (e.g., red-braised pork belly). Soy sauce adds a certain salty flavor. If you increase the amount of soy sauce used, you should reduce the amount of salt accordingly.


7. How to Store Tea Eggs?

Ideally, tea eggs are best enjoyed fresh when they have the optimal texture and flavor. However, if you need to store tea eggs:

Freshly boiled tea eggs can be left on the kitchen countertop for up to 12 hours.

For longer storage, place them in the refrigerator. It's best not to store them in the marinade because prolonged soaking can make the eggs too salty. If eggs are soaked in the marinade for more than 24 hours, they may become overly salty.

Generally, once removed from the marinade, tea eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for about 2-4 days.


I've shared many tips on making homemade tea eggs with you all. I believe you now have a clear understanding of how to make perfect tea eggs. Now, let's get started together and make authentic Chinese tea eggs!

INGREDIENTS

MAIN INGREDIENTS

  • 8 eggs
  • 3 grams of Pu'er tea

ACCESSORIES

  • 20 grams of old brine
  • 1 piece of cinnamon
  • 1 gram of fennel seeds
  • 5 cloves
  • 2 scallions
  • 10 grams of rock sugar
  • 4 star anise
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 20 peppercorns
  • 5 slices of ginger
  • 20 grams of salt
  • 30 grams of soy sauce
  • 20 grams of dark soy sauce

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

First, prepare all the ingredients needed.

Tip:

Chinese five-spice includes: star anise, cinnamon, fennel seeds, cloves, and bay leaves.

Prepare ingredients for Chinese five-spice mix with key components.

STEP 2

Rinse the eggs thoroughly with water. Place them in a pot with cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 8 minutes. Remove the eggs and soak them in cold water for 5 minutes.

Rinse eggs, boil for 8 mins, and soak in cold water for 5 mins.

STEP 3

Use a spoon to gently crack the eggshells, ensuring they crack evenly to create beautiful marbled patterns resembling Chinese tea sets.

Tip:

This step is crucial as it determines whether the tea eggs will have attractive marble patterns. Be careful not to crack the eggshells too forcefully.

Crack eggshells gently for marbled patterns resembling Chinese tea sets. Be cautious not to force cracks.

STEP 4

Prepare the marinade: Pour 1000 grams of water into a pot, add all the spices, and season with salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and rock sugar.

Prepare marinade: Boil water, spices, salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and rock sugar.

STEP 5

Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for 5 minutes to extract the flavors from the spices. Add the black tea.

Tip:

Do not add too much black tea to avoid making the tea eggs bitter.

Boil spices before adding black tea to make flavorful tea eggs; avoid bitterness with right amount of tea.

STEP 6

Once the marinade is prepared, return the cracked eggs to the pot. Bring to a boil again, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes before turning off the heat.

Prepare marinade, return eggs to pot, boil, simmer for 15 mins, then turn off heat.

STEP 7

Don't rush to remove the tea eggs. Let them soak for about 2 hours before taking them out; this will enhance their flavor.

Tip:

If you have more time, you can soak them longer, ideally for 3-5 hours.

Soak tea eggs for 2 hours to enhance flavor; 3-5 hours for even better results.

STEP 8

After soaking for 2 hours, enjoy the rich tea aroma that permeates the eggs. The egg whites are refreshing and pleasant, while the yolks are soft, smooth, and fragrant.

Soak eggs for 2 hours for rich aroma. Whites are refreshing, yolks are soft and fragrant.

6 REVIEWS

Review
Your rating:
SizzleSnapOctober 13, 2024

The eggs were perfectly infused with the aromatic spices, and the yolk was tender and flavorful.
SavorySensationSphereSeptember 30, 2024

How long should I soak the eggs to get a deep flavor?
reply:
October 02, 2024
Soak the eggs for 3-5 hours for the best infusion of flavors.
FlavorFiestaSeptember 20, 2024

My tea eggs had a rich, savory flavor with a hint of sweetness—just like the ones I had in Beijing!
SizzleSavantSeptember 09, 2024

I made these tea eggs for breakfast, and my family loved them! The flavors were spot on.
FlavorFablesFanaticAugust 29, 2024

Can I use green tea instead of black tea for the marinade?
reply:
August 31, 2024
Yes, green tea can be used, but it may result in a milder flavor and lighter color.
WilliamJuly 23, 2024

I've made tea eggs a few times with this recipe, and each time they've been loved by my family and friends as part of my healthy diet.
AnnaJune 30, 2024

Can I have some sugar?
jiaojiaoJune 30, 2024

This tea egg is really good.
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