Soy Sauce Tea Eggs
This recipe is based on one from my cookbook Family Style—Deviled Tea Eggs. I’ve used the base recipe and added a few other pantry staples like sesame seeds, chili flake and scallions to create a super flavorful marinade that can not only marinate the eggs, but also be a great sauce (I’ve poured it over salmon, roasted veg and the like). Chinese tea eggs traditionally use both black tea and soy sauce—and they pair so well, balancing out each other for a greater depth of flavor.
These soy sauce tea eggs truly are an anytime snack—on the go solo, or over steamed rice (and spoonfuls of the marinade atop) for a quick lunch. The eggs should be eaten within 3 days or so—otherwise the eggs will get too salty.
Makes 6 eggs
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
3 black tea bags
1 whole star anise
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
1 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
½ teaspoon chili flakes
4 scallions, very thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Toasted sesame oil, for serving (optional)
METHOD
To a pot, add light soy, dark soy, sugar, tea bags (cut the paper tab off the end of the string), star anise, Sichuan pepper corn and 1½ cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes.
To a quart container or other container with a tight lid, add sesame seeds, chili flake, scallions and garlic cloves. Pour the soy sauce mixture in through a fine mesh strainer. Let cool to room temperature.
Rinse the pot clean and add water. Bring water and salt to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then lower eggs in and cook for 6½ to 7 minutes. Remove and plunge eggs into a bowl of ice cold water. Peel eggs and add to the cooled marinade. Seal and set in the fridge for 8 to 24 hours. To serve, drizzle with a bit of sesame oil, spoon some of the marinade atop and serve.
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