The Strangest Egg Dishes from Around the World

3/10 Previous Next

© Picture Partners/Shutterstock.com

Chinese Tea Eggs

China is home to some of the world’s most unique egg dishes (like the famous Century Eggs). But if you’re not ready for something quite that adventurous, Tea Eggs are the perfect place to start. These marbled beauties are savory, aromatic, and incredibly satisfying when steeped in their flavorful marinade.

Ingredients (for 4 tea eggs):

• 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sugar (divided)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 ¼ cups water
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon black tea leaves
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise pod
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions:

1. In a mortar and pestle, crush together the sea salt, black sesame seeds, pepper, and ? of the sugar to make a flavorful seasoning mix. Set aside.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and gently add the eggs. Simmer for about 8 minutes until hard-boiled. Transfer to an ice bath to cool, then gently tap the shells with a spoon to crack them all over—don’t peel them yet.
3. In another pot, combine water, soy sauce, tea leaves, the remaining sugar, ginger, cinnamon, star anise, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add the cracked eggs to the marinade and simmer gently for 20–30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the eggs soak in the marinade for at least 1 hour—or for the best flavor, leave them overnight in the fridge.
5. Peel carefully and serve halved, sprinkled with the seasoned salt or drizzled with a little soy sauce.

Tip: Tea eggs make a fantastic snack, lunchbox addition, or even a protein-rich breakfast.