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Duanwu mugwort eggs (aiye zhu jidan)
Eggs boiled in mugwort water
艾叶煮鸡蛋: eggs hard-boiled in fragrant mugwort water on Dragon Boat morning
On the morning of the Dragon Boat Festival, families in Hubei and Hunan hang bundles of mugwort by the door and boil eggs in a pot of the same herb. Mugwort is believed to drive away illness as the hot, damp summer begins, so an egg cooked with it is a small wish for good health, often eaten before breakfast and tucked into children's pockets in little woven nets. The whites take on a pale green-tan tint and a gentle, grassy, slightly bitter aroma, while the yolks stay rich. Serve with zongzi and a cup of tea. Fresh mugwort is sold in Chinese grocers around the festival; otherwise use dried mugwort leaves (ai ye) from a Chinese herbal shop. If you are pregnant, check with your doctor before eating herbal mugwort. Chef's tip: crack the shells gently once the eggs are cooked and let them steep, so the mugwort colour seeps into a pretty marbled pattern.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 8 eggsat room temperature
- 1 ¾ oz fresh mugwort leavesor 15 g dried mugwort (ai ye)
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 ¼ cups water
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Rinse 1 ¾ oz fresh mugwort leaves well and put it in a pan with 6 ¼ cups water and 1 tsp salt.
2 minStep 2: Bring to the boil over a high heat, then simmer for 8 minutes, until the water is a murky green-brown and smells herbal.
10 minStep 3: Lower 8 eggs into the gently simmering water with a spoon. Common mistake: dropping cold eggs into a rolling boil; the shells crack and the whites leak out. Simmer over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until hard-boiled with a fully set yolk.
10 minStep 4: Lift the eggs out, tap them all over with the back of a spoon to make fine cracks, and return them to the pot.
1 minStep 5: Simmer for 2 minutes more, then take off the heat and leave the eggs in the water until cool enough to hold. Eat warm, or keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 145 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does duanwu mugwort eggs (aiye zhu jidan) take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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