For the Love of...: ...Chinese Tea Leaf Eggs

Chinese tea leaf eggs are a favourite snack of mine, and I am fortunate enough to have Darrin's grandmother make them for us on a weekly basis.  Tea leaf eggs are hard boiled eggs that are cracked left to simmer in a combination of tea, soy sauce and spices.  Besides the beautiful marbling effect you get on the surface of the egg, the savoury flavour is deliciously addicting.  There are variations of this recipe, but this one is as told to us by our Popo (Cantonese for maternal grandmother).

Ingredients

-6 eggs

-1:4 ratio soy sauce to water (eggs should be submerged by 1")

-3 tbsp Chinese tea leaves (she uses Guanyin tea)
-3 crushed black cardamom
-2 tbsp sugar

Method:

1. Bring the water with soy sauce, Chinese tea leaves, black cardamom and sugar to a boil in a large pot.

2.  Add the eggs and gently boil for approximately 8 minutes.  Then using a slotted spoon and remove each egg and gently crack them using the back of a spoon.

3.  Return the eggs to the cooking liquid and simmer gently for another 15 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let the liquid and eggs cool to room temperature.

4.  Refrigerate overnight to allow the eggs to marinate.  When you are ready to eat them, simply remove them from the liquid, peel them and enjoy.  The eggs will keep in the liquid for up to 3-4 days but it is better to consume them in a timely manner.

Chinese tea eggs- shell on

Peeled Chinese tea egg

Enjoy!