How to make Chinese tea eggs
MANILA, Philippines — Tea is for drinking, right?
It is a good beverage to take especially after a meal because it cleanses the tummy and helps your body remove toxins from your system.
But tea can be used for cooking, too, and one of the things that you can do with it is make Chinese tea eggs.
I first encountered Chinese tea eggs during a coverage in Singapore around 2005 or 2006. The Singapore Food Festival was ongoing then, and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB-Philippines) had sent a media delegation to cover its activities and write about the event. I remember very well that there was a food fair held in the atrium of one of the malls in the Lion City, and one stall was selling Chinese tea eggs. What’s unique about these eggs is that when you peel off the egg shell, the hard-boiled egg displayed dark veins all over. And when you eat it, it tastes like hard-boiled egg but with an added flavor dimension.
So I Googled for recipes of Chinese tea eggs when I got back home to Manila and made them. You might also be curious enough to make some, too.
Chinese Tea Eggs
Ingredients:
6 eggs
Enough water to cover eggs entirely
3 Tbsps. Pu-erh tea leaves
5 Tbsps. soy sauce
1 pc. star anise
1/2 tsp. five-spice powder
2-3 pcs. cloves
1 pc. small cinnamon stick
3/4 to 1 tsp. sugar
Procedure:
1. Place eggs in a saucepot and fill with water to submerge the eggs completely. Boil over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes to make sure the eggs are hardboiled.
2. Remove from the water and rinse hardboiled eggs in tap water.
3. Crack the egg gently with the back of a spoon to create veins on the egg shell.
4. Put the cracked eggs back to the water in the saucepot. Add Pu-erh tea leaves, soy sauce, star anise, five-spice powder, cloves, cinnamon stick and sugar. Bring to a boil, then adjust heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours. Add more water if necessary.
5. Leave tea eggs in its tea soak overnight not just to enhance the flavor in the eggs but also to heighten the color of the veins.
6. Peel and enjoy.
