Chinese Tea Eggs
茶叶蛋
Beautifully marbled eggs steeped in a fragrant broth of tea, soy sauce, and star anise — a popular Chinese street snack that's stunningly beautiful and deeply savory.
📋 Ingredients
📝 Instructions
Boil the Eggs
Place eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 6 minutes (for jammy yolks) or 8 minutes (firm). Transfer to an ice bath.
Crack the Shells
Gently tap each egg all over with the back of a spoon to create a web of cracks. Don't peel — the cracks let the marinade seep in and create the marble pattern.
Make the Braising Liquid
Combine water, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, black tea leaves, star anise, cinnamon, and rock sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Steep
Add the cracked eggs to the braising liquid. Simmer on the lowest heat for at least 1 hour, preferably 2-3. Turn off heat and let them steep in the liquid overnight for deepest flavor and marbling.
Serve
Peel and enjoy warm or cold as a snack, in noodle soup, or sliced over rice. The marble pattern makes them look like little works of art.
