📝 About This Recipe
A quintessential Chinese street food and dim sum staple, these eggs are as beautiful to look at as they are delicious to eat. Hard-boiled eggs are gently cracked and then simmered in a fragrant, savory infusion of black tea, soy sauce, and warm spices, creating a stunning marble pattern on the whites. The result is a deeply aromatic snack with a perfect balance of salty, earthy, and subtly sweet notes that permeate every bite.
🥗 Ingredients
The Eggs
- 12 pieces Large Eggs (cold from the refrigerator)
- 6 cups Water (enough to cover eggs by 1 inch)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (to prevent cracking during initial boil)
The Braising Liquid
- 3 tablespoons Black Tea Leaves (loose leaf Pu-erh or Ceylon preferred)
- 1/2 cup Light Soy Sauce (for saltiness and depth)
- 2 tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce (primarily for the deep mahogany color)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing Wine (optional, for aroma)
- 1 ounce Rock Sugar (or 2 tablespoons granulated sugar)
Aromatic Spices
- 3 whole Star Anise
- 1 whole Cinnamon Stick (about 3 inches long)
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan Peppercorns (for a subtle numbing warmth)
- 2 pieces Bay Leaves (dried)
- 3 slices Fresh Ginger (smashed)
- 1 piece Dried Tangerine Peel (optional, for a citrusy undertone)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Place the 12 eggs in a large pot and cover with cold water by at least an inch. Add a teaspoon of salt to the water.
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2
Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for exactly 8 minutes.
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3
Prepare an ice bath while the eggs boil. Once the 8 minutes are up, transfer the eggs to the ice bath for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process.
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4
Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, use the back of a metal spoon to gently tap the shell all over. You want to create fine cracks without peeling the shell off.
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5
In a clean pot, combine 6 cups of fresh water, both soy sauces, rock sugar, tea leaves, and all the aromatic spices (star anise, cinnamon, peppercorns, bay leaves, ginger, and tangerine peel).
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6
Bring the aromatic liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the spices and tea to infuse.
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7
Carefully lower the cracked eggs into the simmering liquid. Ensure the eggs are completely submerged; add a bit more water if necessary.
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8
Simmer the eggs on the lowest heat setting for 1 hour. The liquid should barely bubble to keep the egg texture tender.
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9
Turn off the heat and let the eggs steep in the liquid as it cools to room temperature.
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10
For the best flavor and most dramatic marbling, transfer the eggs and the liquid into a container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
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11
When ready to serve, remove the eggs from the liquid and gently peel off the shells to reveal the beautiful mosaic pattern underneath.
💡 Chef's Tips
For the most intricate marble patterns, tap the shells gently to create many small cracks rather than a few large ones. Always use black tea; green tea can become bitter when simmered for long periods. If you don't have rock sugar, brown sugar is a great substitute as it adds a nice molasses depth. Do not skip the 24-hour soak; the flavor penetrates much deeper into the yolk over time. The leftover braising liquid can be strained, frozen, and reused as a 'master stock' for your next batch.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve cold or at room temperature as a high-protein snack. Slice them in half and serve alongside a steaming bowl of Beef Noodle Soup or Congee. Include them as part of a traditional dim sum spread with dumplings and tea. Pack them in a bento box with pickled vegetables and steamed rice for a flavorful lunch. Pair with a glass of iced Oolong tea to complement the earthy notes of the marinade.