Tea Eggs
[Ingredients]
- Eggs: 20
- Sichuan peppercorns: 15 grams
- Salt: 40 grams
- Star anise: 25 grams
- Soy sauce: 50 grams
- Spring onions: 50 grams
- Ginger: 25 grams
- Amomum villosum (草果): 20 grams
- Galangal (良姜): 20 grams
[Cooking Method]
- Add 2000 grams of water to a pot, add all the ingredients, and boil for 3 minutes after the water boils to make a braising broth. Set aside.
- Boil the eggs until cooked, then remove and cool them in cold water. Gently crack the eggshells using chopsticks, then place the eggs into the braising broth and bring to a boil again. Remove from heat and let the eggs soak in the braising broth. When serving, cut the eggs into crescent shapes, arrange them on a plate, and pour some braising broth over them.
[Key Techniques]
- When boiling the eggs, to prevent them from cracking, add some salt to the water or bring the water to a boil slowly. After boiling, turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for about 3 minutes. This method helps prevent the eggs from cracking.
- After using the braising broth a few times, you can add more seasoning and salt to continue using it, but be sure to remove any residue. In summer, add more salt to the braising broth to prevent the eggs from spoiling.
[Flavor Characteristics]
- This dish is a delicious cold dish, rich in nutrients, and has a savory taste, making it popular among tourists and the general public.
- Adding tea leaves (two qian) to the seasonings makes it Tea Eggs (茶鸡蛋).
- After peeling and briefly deep-frying cooked eggs and then braising them, it becomes Marbled Tea Eggs (卤虎皮蛋).
