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Chinese Tea Eggs Recipe (Tea Leaf Eggs)

This is one of the typical Chinese tea eggs (tea leaf eggs) that is usually sold by street vendors as a snack. The boiled egg is cracked and steeped in liquid flavoured with tea leaves and various spices.

Rate

5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Steep 6 hours
Total Time 7 hours 40 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 8 eggs
Calories 122 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 8 eggs
  • 4 black tea bags
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 4 star anise
  • 10 whole white pepper
  • ½ stick Cinnamon about 2 g
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 8 tbsps light soy sauce
  • ½ tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 2 tbsps oyster sauce
  • 80 g rock sugar
  • 800 ml water

Instructions
 

  • Gently brush and clean eggs with kitchen brush or scrub sponge.
  • Place all eggs in a pot, put in 2 tea bags and enough water to cover all the eggs. Note: You may use 2 teaspoons of any Chinese tea.
  • Heat water to about 50°C-60°C, hot enough to the touch, turn off the heat and allow the eggs to submerge in hot tea for about 10 minutes.
  • After 10 minutes, bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 7 minutes.
  • Discard the tea, keep the tea bags. Crack the eggs shell and set aside.
  • In a large pot, add in 2 new tea bags, 2 used tea bags and all the other ingredients with 800 ml of water. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Turn off the heat, add in cracked eggs, steep for 1 hour. Reheat the spiced tea liquid after an hour, do not bring to boil, turn off the heat when small bubbles start appearing. Steep for 6 hours.

Video

Notes

This recipe yields 8 eggs. 
The nutritional value for reference is for 1 egg. 
Chinese tea eggs can be prepared a day in advance, marinate overnight in the refrigerator, reheat to serve or enjoy them cold.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 122kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 8gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 164mgSodium: 1507mgPotassium: 110mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 240IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg
Keyword chinese tea eggs, tea leaf eggs
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