Five Spice Tea Eggs - How to Make Huaiyang-style Marbled Tea Eggs (五香茶叶蛋)

Ingredients

• 8 pieces Eggs (medium size, hard‑boiled)
• 200 grams Dried Tofu (pressed, baked or fried, moisture removed)
• 1 tablespoon Whole Cloves (whole cloves)
• 5 pieces Star Anise (whole star anise)
• 2 pieces Cinnamon Sticks (whole sticks)
• 2 tablespoons Fennel Seed (whole seeds)
• 2 pieces Dried Bay Leaves (optional but recommended)
• 10 grams Dried Tangerine Peel (aged, adds citrus aroma)
• 1 whole Nutmeg (optional, grated)
• 6 slices Licorice Root (optional, adds subtle sweetness)
• 10 grams Black Tea Loose Leaf (any strong black tea works)
• 50 grams Rock Sugar (can substitute with granulated sugar)
• 2 tablespoons Light Soy Sauce (Chinese light soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce (Chinese dark soy sauce for color)
• 1.5 liters Water (cold water for the broth)

Instructions

1. Hard‑boil eggs

   Place the eggs in a large pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil over high heat, then cook for 10 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 100°C

2. Cool and crack eggs

   Drain the eggs and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Gently tap each egg with the wide end of a chopstick to create a network of cracks.

   Time: PT5M

3. Measure spices

   Measure whole cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, fennel seed, and the optional bay leaves, tangerine peel, nutmeg, and licorice root.

   Time: PT5M

4. Assemble tea‑spice broth

   Place a strainer filled with the measured spices into the large pot, add 1.5 L cold water, then gently nest the cracked eggs and dried tofu on top so they don’t touch the pot’s bottom.

   Time: PT5M

5. Add tea, rock sugar and soy sauce

   Bring the pot to a boil, then stir in 10 g black tea leaves, 50 g rock sugar, 2 Tbsp light soy sauce and 2 Tbsp dark soy sauce until the sugar dissolves.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 100°C

6. Low‑heat simmer

   Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot, and let the mixture simmer gently for 90 minutes.

   Time: PT1H30M

   Temperature: 80°C

7. Rest and cool

   Turn off the heat and let the eggs and tofu sit in the broth until completely cooled, at least 3 hours or preferably overnight, to absorb maximum flavor.

   Time: PT3H

8. Peel and serve

   Remove the eggs and tofu from the broth. Peel the eggs to reveal the marbled pattern, slice the tofu if desired, and serve as a snack or travel bite.

   Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

110

Protein

6 g

Carbohydrates

5 g

Fat

5 g

Fiber

0 g