Print

Flavorful Marbled Tea Eggs Recipe Easy Homemade Aromatic Spiced Tea Eggs

marbled tea eggs - featured image
Print Recipe

Aromatic spiced tea eggs with a beautiful marbled pattern, infused with a blend of star anise, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorns. Perfect as a savory snack or side dish, these tea eggs are easy to make and full of comforting flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 large eggs (fresh, but not too fresh to allow marbling)
  • 3 tablespoons black tea leaves or 3 black tea bags (Assam or Ceylon recommended)
  • 4 cups (950 ml) water
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce
  • 2 whole star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick (about 3 inches)
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns (optional but recommended)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon light sesame oil (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Place 6 large eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 7 minutes for slightly soft yolks or 9 minutes for fully hard-boiled eggs.
  2. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking, about 10 minutes. Gently tap each egg with the back of a spoon or knife handle to crack the shells all around, but don’t peel them.
  3. In the same saucepan, combine 4 cups (950 ml) water, 3 tablespoons black tea leaves or 3 tea bags, 1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 whole star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon light sesame oil (optional). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to develop flavors.
  4. Add the cracked eggs back into the pot with the tea-spice broth. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for at least 1 hour on low heat. For deeper flavor, simmer up to 2 hours, adding water if needed to keep eggs submerged.
  5. Transfer the eggs and broth to a container, ensuring eggs are fully covered. Let marinate in the refrigerator overnight or up to 24 hours for the best flavor and marbling effect.
  6. Peel the eggs to reveal the marbled pattern on the whites. Enjoy warm or cold as a snack, salad topping, or side dish.

Notes

Use slightly older eggs (about a week old) for better peeling and marbling. Crack shells gently but thoroughly to create a spiderweb of cracks for the tea to seep in. Keep simmering heat low to avoid breaking the marbling pattern. Marinate overnight or up to 24 hours for best flavor. For gluten-free, substitute soy sauce with tamari. Sichuan peppercorns add a unique numbing spice but can be omitted or replaced with black peppercorns.

Nutrition

Keywords: tea eggs, marbled eggs, spiced eggs, Chinese snack, aromatic tea eggs, easy tea eggs, savory snack, black tea eggs

Find it online: https://emmaoven.com/flavorful-marbled-tea-eggs-recipe-easy-homemade-aromatic-spiced-tea-eggs/