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Chaye dan (marbled tea eggs)
茶叶蛋 · eggs simmered and steeped in tea, soy and spices until their cracked shells leave a marble pattern
Tea eggs bubble in pots of dark broth beside the tills of convenience stores, at railway stations and on breakfast carts all over China; in Zhejiang and Jiangsu families make a big batch for spring outings and for New Year. The eggs are hard-boiled, their shells tapped all over, then simmered and soaked in black tea, soy sauce, star anise and cinnamon, so the whites come out mottled brown like old porcelain and taste gently of spice. The common mistake is to skip the long soak: an hour in the pot only colours the shell, while a night in the fridge gives the pattern and flavour. Chef's tip: crack the shells gently with the back of a spoon so they craze all over but stay on; if pieces fall off you'll get dark patches instead of fine lines.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 8 eggsat room temperature
For the tea broth
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 2 tbsp black tea leavesor 4 black tea bags; pu'er is traditional
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rock sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 piece dried orange or tangerine peel (optional)
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Lower 8 eggs into a pan of simmering water and cook for 8 minutes. Lift them into a bowl of cold water and leave for 5 minutes until cool enough to handle.
13 minStep 2: Tap each egg all over with the back of a spoon so the shell is covered in fine cracks but stays in place.
Step 3: Put 4 ¼ cups water, 2 tbsp black tea leaves, 4 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp rock sugar or brown sugar, 1 tsp salt, 3 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves, 1 piece dried orange or tangerine peel and 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns in a pan and bring to the boil. Add the cracked eggs, which should be covered by the liquid.
5 minStep 4: Simmer gently on a low heat for 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave to cool in the pan.
20 minStep 5: Move eggs and broth to a container and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to 3 days. The longer they soak, the deeper the marbling and the saltier the eggs.
Step 6: Peel to reveal the brown pattern. Eat cold, or warm them in the broth for 5 minutes. Don't keep them in the broth for more than 3 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 80 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chaye dan (marbled tea eggs) take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of light soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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