Cháyèdàn- Chinese Tea Eggs

Submitted by ThatSouthernBelle

"Found this recipe on appetiteforchina.com - check it out, there are some beautiful pictures of these! Anyway, the poster said that they're used in place of high energy snacks, like trail mix."

 

• Ready In: 3hrs
• Ingredients: 9
• Yields: 6 eggs
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 2 black tea bags
• 1⁄2 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 pieces star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns (optional)
• dried mandarin orange peel, in strips (optional)

directions

1. Put eggs in a medium-sized pot with enough water to cover the eggs.
2. Bring water to boil, then lower heat to simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Remove eggs from heat and allow them to cool a bit before handling(running them under cold water does the trick quickly.).
4. Take the back of a knife and crack eggs evenly all around.
5. Return eggs to the pot and add the rest of the ingredients.
6. Bring liquid to boil again, then simmer for 1 to 3 hours, longer for a more intense flavor and color, adding water if level gets too low.
7. Remove from heat, and serve as a snack or addition to rice or noodles.

Reviews

[Kate S.]

We love these. Our kids love these. Our guests always love these. They are so simple. I do them in the slow cooker when I'm going to cook a Chinese meal, then cool and save the sauce to use again the next time.

 

[Halcyon Eve]

Made a reduced batch and sent as a snack in DH's lunch. He reported back that they were good, but not very different in flavor from regular hard-boiled eggs. I simmered the eggs in the aromatic mixture for about 1 1/4 hours, so perhaps that wasn't long enough. I was concerned about them getting rubbery if I simmered too long, though, so I was hesitant to go much longer. Perhaps I'll try a longer simmering time next time. These weren't at all difficult to make, and the anise and orange peel were easy to find at the nearby Vietnamese grocery (huge bags, too, so plenty for future use). Thanks so much for posting, Bella! Made for Comfort Cafe January 2009.