Marbled Tea eggs
Crack the shells of hard-boiled eggs and steep them in a black tea broth seasoned with soy sauce and star anise, producing a flavorful snack with distinctive marbled patterns on the surface.
Ingredients
eggs
8
soy sauce
½ cup
star anise pods
4
black tea bags (strings removed (English Breakfast or Assam, or for a smokier flavor, lapsang souchong))
3
Instructions
1
Step 1
In a large pot, arrange the eggs in a single layer. Add water to cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain and cover the eggs completely with cold water. Cool.
2
Step 2
When the eggs have cooled enough to handle, gently tap each egg with the back of a teaspoon to create fine cracks on the shell surface. Try to keep the shell intact.
3
Step 3
In the same pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add the soy sauce, star anise, and tea bags. Reduce to medium-low heat. Use a spoon to carefully place the eggs one by one into the tea water. If the eggs are not completely submerged, add more water. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
4
Step 4
Remove the pot from the heat and let the eggs soak in the tea liquid on the stove for 1 hour. Transfer to the refrigerator and continue soaking for at least 2 hours, preferably 12 hours.
5
Step 5
Peel off a small portion of the shell to see if the egg has reached sufficient color. If the marbled pattern isn't pronounced enough, continue soaking longer.
