Probably the best way to enjoy hard boiled eggs! Chinese tea eggs are packed with flavour and have a beautiful marble look. Recipe in two versions provided.
More and more I realize that the memory of my happy childhood is mostly food related. Last week my culinary fan No. 3 in our Red House went for a school trip which reminded me of my own school outings. Then a particular food came to mind. It was Chinese tea egg (茶叶蛋), one of the most popular homemade snacks people would bring on a picnic or for a train journey. I cooked some straightaway, along with some quail eggs and peanuts that I happened to have in my kitchen.
Like many dishes, families have their own recipes for tea eggs. But they all share the same principle: steeping hard boiled eggs in a liquid darkened and flavoured by tea, soy sauce and spices. To me it’s like giving (plain and dry) hard boiled eggs a makeover. Not only does the steeping process add a flavourful taste to the eggs, it also gives the eggs an interesting appearance. Normally the egg shells are cracked (but not peeled) before adding to the the flavoured liquid. This will lead to a marble-like pattern on the egg white when peeled. In addition, egg yolks become less dry than the ones found in normal hard boil eggs.
In terms of tea, you are pretty free to choose whatever is available in your cupboard. My mum and dad use loose green tea or jasmine tea since they are the most common types in Chinese households. I discovered that black tea bags are a great choice too. They are darker, stronger, cheaper (in Europe) and they save your time: you don’t need to deal with tea leaves which become stuck to the eggs.
I have two versions of tea eggs for you: comprehensive and simplified. The differences are as follow:
- Use individual spices of your choice VS using Chinese five-spice powder.
- Crack the egg shells VS peel the egg shells. If peeled, eggs can be steeped for a shorter time, but they will become brown all around instead of having a marble look.
- I add quail eggs and peanuts in the comprehensive version. This is purely my personal touch. Quail eggs are smaller hence the flavour will be stronger than that of hen eggs. Peanuts cooked this way are delicious as a snack (It’s common in China to braise peanuts with spices).
Marbled tea eggs – two versions (茶叶蛋)
Ingredients
For the basic version
- 8 eggs
- 2 bag black tea
- 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 4 tsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp rock sugar, or granulated sugar
- 2 tsp salt
For the comprehensive version
- 8 eggs
- 10 quail eggs, optional
- 1 handful peanuts, optional
- 2 bag black tea
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 star-anise
- 1 small piece Chinese cinnamon, cassia cinnamon
- ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorn
- 2 dried chilli
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
- ½ tbsp rock sugar, or granulated sugar
- 2 tsp salt
Instructions
Simplified version
- Put the eggs (at room temperature) in a pot of cold water (enough to cover them). Bring water to a boil then reduce the heat. Leave to simmer for 6 mins.
- Drain the eggs then cool under running water. When cool enough to touch, gently crack the eggshells all around using the back of a spoon (see note 1).
- Put eggs back into a clean pot. Add all the other ingredients and water enough to cover the eggs. Bring water to a boil then turn down the heat. Simmer for 10 mins.
- Transfer everything into a container. Leave to steep for at least 12 hours (see note 2). You may keep the eggs in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- If you prefer eating warm eggs, simply heat up the egg in the liquid.
Comprehensive version
- Follow the same instructions above. If using quail eggs, cook them along with the regular eggs and crack the same way. If using peanuts, add to the steeping liquid then simmer with the eggs.
NOTES
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If you like eggs, you might be interested in another recipe “Tomato and egg stir-fry” which is also a simple, down-to-earth dish.
Have a lovely day!
Other recipes that are great for picnic:
Your marbled eggs look soooo good! They are my favorites too! I have to agree that I’m feeling nostalgic and it is mainly food related
Thank you Marvellina! I think many bloggers’ love for food comes from the fact that they were fed with wonderful food in their childhood.
Hi Wei! Thank you for your wonderful recipes and food photography. As a Chinese-Canadian who loves to cook for friends and family, I’ve always been looking for someone who could explain to me how and why certain things are done a certain way. I found Serious Eats a while ago and they changed my culinary world, and now you too!
I just tried this recipe (the eggs are reheating as we speak – taste test time!) and I was wondering if you’ve tried saving the marinade and reusing it for the next batch (adding more spices along the way)? Is it safe? Does it make the eggs more or less tasty?
Hi Claudia! Thank you for visiting my blog. I do reuse the marinade sometimes. Add more spice and/or salt if you wish. It’s entirely up to your own taste.
When we lived in Taiwan, the eggs would be simmering in a rice cooker. I usually simmer them overnight to enhance the flavor. Is that not the traditional way of preparing them?
Hi Karen! Since rice cooker is only a recent invention, I don’t believe that it’s the tradition method. However, you are totally free to cook it the way you prefer. Yes soaking the eggs overnight would definitely enhance the flavour.
Thanks – great recipes – just back from Xian and the memories flood back . Tom
Hi Tom Thank you for trying out my recipe. I guess you had lots of great food in Xi’an. It’s one of my favourite cities in terms of culinary experiences.
This recipe looks great.with the pepper/chili, does it come out spicy? Also, can the 12hr steeping be done in the fridge?
Hi Daniela! For the amount of Sichuan pepper & dried chilli I use for this recipe, the tea eggs won’t come out spicy. They are for adding a bit of extra flavour and you can skip them if you wish. Yes you can leave the eggs in the fridge.
Hello, thanks for recipe.
I ain’t understand one thing. Need I steep in fridge or at room temperature? Is it safe to steep eggs at room temperature for 12 hours? I reckon they will addle a little after that…
It’s ok to steep at room temperature for 12 hours as long as it’s not on a hot summer day. The salt in the liquid will prevent it from going off for this length of time. I suggest you keep it in the fridge if left longer.
Thanks for such good recipes & info! I’m not having much success with egg marbling though. I was told lapsang souchong was the best tea to use. I think it’s great for flavour but perhaps not so good to get the staining effect? Am steeping for around 6 hours but the marbling is extremley faint/hardly noticeable. The quails eggs tasted great but were still snow white. How long do you usually steep? Many thanks
Hi Sarah! Thank you very much for following my recipe!
There are 3 factors which can affect the marbling result: 1. The steeping time. I recommend you steep the eggs for at least 12 hours before serving. For a more attractive look, you may steep them longer. 2. The tea. In general, black tea works the best. Since lapsang souchong is a type of black tea, it should work fine. I usually use ordinary English black tea. 3. The dark soy sauce. It also stains the egg. You may increase its volume (reduce the salt accordingly if you don’t want them too salty).
Wish you good luck!
I had the same problem and read online that you have to make sure to pierce the membrane when you crack the eggs. I tapped very softly but will tap harder next time. The egg should stay intact since its boiled. Using older eggs may help too. I like this recipe though!
Hi Cami! Thank you so much for sharing your tips. My readers will appreciate your input!
Hello! Can I reuse the sauce for the next batch of tea eggs?
Yes you surely can. Happy cooking!
Loved the recipe! I did everything in the 1st recipe except added 1 tsp of 5 spice powder. My husband tried it the first time when I did the straight recipe and he said he was missing the 5 spice flavor. I made it again using the same marinade but added a teaspoon of 5 spice. Now he says it tastes like his mom’s tea eggs! Score! Thank you so much for this recipe!
That’s great news! It’s my great pleasure to share. Glad to know homemade tea eggs have made you and your husband happy.
I plan to make your Marbled Egg Recipe today, & I’m so looking forward to tasting them! This recipe brings back memories from about 20 years ago when my college roommate made them for a dinner with my parents. They were Wonderful! I have never had them since then. I can’t wait!!
Thanks you Kathy for sharing your food story. Hope you enjoy cooking tea eggs and they bring back nice memories.