Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon black tea leaves
- 2 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole star anise pods
- 1 tablespoon five-spice powder
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 slice fresh ginger root
- ½ teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon licorice root
- 1 piece dried mandarin orange peel
- 1 ounce Chinese rock sugar
- ½ cup dark soy sauce
- 10 hard-cooked eggs
Why You'll Want This Again
Tips For Perfect Results
- Make sure to cool the eggs completely before peeling to avoid tearing the whites.
- Let the eggs marinate in the tea mixture for several hours or overnight for the best flavor.
Directions
Combin the tea, cinnamon, star anise, five-spice, cloves, ginger, peppercorns, licorice, orange peel, rock sugar, and both dark and light soy sauces in a large saucepan. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer and let it bubble away for about 15 minutes. While the mixture is simmering, gently tap your hard-cooked eggs all over with the back of a spoon to crack the shells—this helps the flavors seep in and gives the egg whites a nice color. Carefully add the eggs to the simmering liquid and let them cook for 30 minutes. Once that’s done, take the pan off the heat but leave the eggs in the liquid to soak for another two hours. After soaking, drain the eggs, pop them in the fridge to chill, and peel when you’re ready to eat.
