These eggs are another of Dwayne’s favourites. Although we saw these during our time in China, we first tasted them when sailing in South East Asia. We were shopping in Malaysia when Dwayne’s nose led him to a pot of Chinese Tea Eggs simmering away outside a cute little tea shop. The aroma permeating from the pot was a delightful combination of cinnamon, star anise and soy. Not able to pass them by, he purchased a few of the eggs and delighted in their taste, for they tasted as delicious as they smelled.
So taken was he by the tea eggs that I had to experiment with making my own. I searched the net and found some interesting recipes. In the end, I blended a couple of ideas, reduced the sugar and made my recipe. I was not too fond of the sweetness of the bought eggs, so I left out the sugar entirely. Add a 1/2 cup of sugar if you like it sweet.
Chinese Tea Eggs
Ingredients
10 soft-boiled eggs*
2 cups of water
2 Tbs Kecap Asin (or soy sauce)
2 Tbs Kecap Manis
1/2 tsp salt
4 pods of star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
2 slices of lemon or orange
4 Tbs of black tea leave or four tea bags
* I boiled the eggs with a bit of bicarb to help them easier peel when eating.
Method
Do not peel the boiled eggs, but crack them all over to allow the flavour and colour of the marinade to penetrate them.
Add all ingredients, including eggs, into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and remove teabags if using and allow to cool.
Leave the eggs in the marinade and refrigerate for 10-24 hours. The longer you leave them in the marinade, the more flavour and colour should infuse.
These eggs are a handy little snack when sailing and a nice treat to take to fellow sailors when visiting.
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