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Soft-Boiled Tea Eggs

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A sliced softboiled tea egg on a plate next to a bowl of eggs in a tea based brine.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce

Eggs marinated in tea leaves and soy make a snack that has become ubiquitous in kitchens and 7-Eleven convenience stores across Taiwan. This version features a soft-boiled, slightly oozy center that’s simmered in a comforting blend of oolong tea, soy sauce, and aromatics that will fill your kitchen with fragrance.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘First Generation’ by Frankie Gaw. Buy the full book on Amazon.

Ingredients

Makes 8 eggs

4 cups water
3⁄4 cup soy sauce
2 thumb-sized slices ginger
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 Tbsp. oolong tea leaves
2 bay leaves
1 star anise pod
1 cinnamon stick
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
8 eggs

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large pot, combine the water, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, tea, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until fragrant. With a slotted spoon or strainer, gently lower the eggs into the pot. Cook for 6 minutes and 30 seconds. 

    Step 2

    While the eggs cook, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. With the spoon or strainer, remove the eggs and place them in the ice bath. Pour the brine into a heatproof container and let cool.

    Step 3

    Once the brine is cool, peel the eggs and place them in the container, cover, and marinate overnight. Serve the following day or store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

First Generation-COVER.jpg
Reprinted with permission from First Generation: Recipes from My Taiwanese-American Home by Frankie Gaw. Text and photography by Franklin Gaw copyright ©2022. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Buy the book from Amazon or Ten Speed Press.
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Reviews (4)

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  • And just how are supposed to peel whole eggs cooked this soft? I followed you recipe to a T twice, and Iwas left with 16 soft-boiled eggs wasted.

    • Mike

    • Cincinnati, OH

    • 11/3/2022

TagsTaiwaneseEast AsianAsianVegetarianEggTeaBeveragesSnackEasyNut FreeCookbooks

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