How to Make Tea Leaf Eggs - A Step-by-Step Guide

Tea leaf eggs, also known as marbled eggs, are a popular Chinese snack that is loved for its savory and flavorful taste. This traditional dish involves boiling eggs in a fragrant mixture of tea, soy sauce, and spices, resulting in a beautiful marbled pattern on the egg white and a rich, aromatic flavor. Tea leaf eggs are frequently enjoyed as a snack or appetizer, and can also be served as a side dish.

The process of making tea leaf eggs is simple and straightforward, requiring only ...

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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon black tea leaves
  • 2 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks
  • 4 whole star anise pods
  • 1 tablespoon five-spice powder
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 1 slice fresh ginger root
  • ½ teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon licorice root
  • 1 piece dried mandarin orange peel
  • 1 ounce Chinese rock sugar
  • ½ cup dark soy sauce
  • ⅓ cup light-colored soy sauce
  • 10 hard-cooked eggs

Information

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 2 hrs 45 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hrs 55 mins
  • Servings: 10
  • Yield: 10 eggs

  • Place the tea, cinnamon, star anise, five-spice, cloves, ginger, peppercorns, licorice, orange peel, rock sugar, dark soy sauce, and light soy sauce in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly tap the hard-cooked eggs to crack the shells all over. The soy sauce will penetrate the cracks, and color the egg white.
  • Place the eggs in the simmering liquid, and cook for 30 minutes, then remove from the heat, and let the eggs stand in the liquid for 2 hours off the heat. After 2 hours, drain the eggs, chill, and peel.
  • Nutrition

    98 cal.

    • Total Fat: 6g
    • Saturated Fat: 2g
    • Cholesterol: 212mg
    • Sodium: 1261mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 6g
    • Dietary Fiber: 1g
    • Total Sugars: 3g
    • Protein: 7g
    • Vitamin C: 1mg
    • Calcium: 51mg
    • Iron: 2mg
    • Potassium: 82mg