My savory cravings mean I can turn down cookies, and cupcakes, and muffins, and everything else delicious and sweet offered me at work. However, if someone were to throw down a bowl of mashed potatoes or a salad, then I’d be in trouble. Luckily, that doesn’t happen too often.
Cue Chinese Tea Eggs. As a child, I would get so excited when I saw the large vat of bubbling eggs on the counter of our local Asian supermarket. Little did I know then that one day I’d grow up and learn how to make them myself. When I first starting making these tasty treats, I obsessed about ratios and ingredients. Over time, my obsession waned and I learned to appreciate just how forgiving the recipe really is. Sure, I could beat myself up when I forgot to throw in the star anise, but I still had my tea eggs. Yeah, I know I should let it simmer a few hours, but after 30 minutes I still had my tea eggs. At worst, you’ve got hard boiled eggs. That’s still a win in my book.
There are super authentic ways of making Chinese Tea Eggs and then there are the lazy knock-offs that I make. The only thing you should watch out for are inattentive fiances who promise to watch the boiling water, but don’t. Your water will boil away, your eggs will explode, all while you’re rushing around getting ready for work in the morning. Trust me.
Tea Eggs
Ingredients:
- Eggs
- Black tea (loose or bags work equally well)
- Soy sauce
- Star anise
- Cinnamon
- Sugar
Directions:
- Boil your eggs until they are firm enough to hold their shape.
- Take out the eggs and gently crack the shell with the back of a spoon (or knife, fork, whatever small utensil you have handy).
- Add a few black tea bags, soy sauce, anise, cinnamon, and sugar to the water you used to boil the eggs.
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