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Tea WorldI was browsing through my recipes books looking for a healthy Asian inspired snack when I came across a ‘Chinese Tea Leaf Eggs’ recipe. I was in an adventurous mood, and I’m game for anything involving tea! It’s rare that I actually stick to a recipe, even my own, so I decided to change it a little and add some color, making what I hope is a perfect Easter Egg recipe. As a mild warning, it may not be a good idea to hide these around the house for the Easter egg hunt as the shell needs to be removed!
If you have leafed through Chinese/Asian cookbooks you may have come across a similar recipe. Chinese Tea Eggs are a savory snack you will find offered in some of the more traditional Chinese restaurants, and they are a healthy snack, going rather well with a cup of oolong or green tea. They’re an interesting, colourful and healthier alternative to eggs made with butter or oil.
Here’s the recipe:
1. 8 eggs – hardboiled, cooled and dried
2. When eggs are cool, gently tap eggs with the back of a spoon to crack shells (do not remove shells) or gently roll eggs on a paper towel (do not remove the shells). Important: The cracks in the eggs need to break into the membrane between the shell and the egg. We want the egg shells to be cracked as this will give the eggs the marbleised look we want to achieve.
3. Decide on your Tea Egg Recipe – I have listed the ones for both the traditional Chinese Tea Eggs and the Jewelled Tea Eggs
4. Note – if you are making a small batch of eggs, just use enough water to cover the eggs in a saucepan which can comfortably accommodate the desired number of eggs. A saucepan which is too big will dilute the flavour of the Traditional Chinese Tea Eggs.
| Traditional Chinese Tea Leaf Eggs Recipe 1/4 cup dark soy sauce 3 Tbsp black loose leaf tea (I used Irish Breakfast) 1 whole star anise1 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp salt 2 Cups water |
Jewelled Tea Eggs Recipe Icing colors – I used Wilton (found them at Bulk Barn) Colors: Lemon Yellow, Christmas Red,Sky Blue ½ tsp salt Water – enough to cover the eggs |
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| 5. In a saucepan, add eggs and water with all the ingredients and bring to boil. 6. Simmer for 2-3 hours and allow to cool. 7. Once the tea-soy sauce brew has cooled with the eggs, place the tea-soy sauce brew with the eggs in the fridge overnight 8. This will allow the flavors to permeate the eggs. |
5. Use about ½ tsp of icing color for each color and fill containers with water until eggs are submerged. 6. Soak for 30 minutes 7. Remove carefully with a tablespoon and pat egg dry with paper towel. 8. Careful with these, as some of the colors could stain your counter tops and clothes. Have lots of paper towels handy just in case! |
