Taiwanese Tea Eggs (Cha Ye Dan)

Ingredients

• 6 large Eggs
• 6 cups Water
• 2 bags Black Tea Bags (or loose leaf tea)
• 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
• 2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Five Spice Powder
• 1 tbsp Rock Sugar (or brown sugar)
• 2 pieces Star Anise
• 1 piece Cinnamon Stick

Instructions

1. 1Place the 6 large Eggs in a large heavy-bottomed pot and cover them with 6 cups of cold Water. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
2. 2While the eggs are cooling, gently tap each egg all over with the back of a spoon until the shell is covered in small cracks. Do not peel the eggs; the cracks allow the broth to seep into the egg.
3. 3In the same large heavy-bottomed pot, combine 2 cups of Water (from the original 6 cups), 2 bags of Black Tea Bags (or loose leaf tea), 1/4 cup of Soy Sauce, 2 tbsp of Dark Soy Sauce, 1/2 tsp of Five Spice Powder, 1 tbsp of Rock Sugar (or brown sugar), 2 pieces of Star Anise, and 1 piece of Cinnamon Stick. Bring this mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
4. 4Carefully add the cracked eggs to the boiling tea broth. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for at least 1 hour. For a stronger flavor, you can simmer for up to 3 hours.
5. 5Turn off the heat and allow the eggs to cool completely in the tea broth. This cooling period is essential for the eggs to absorb the maximum amount of flavor and develop their marbled appearance. This may take several hours or overnight.
6. 6Once cooled, you can serve the Taiwanese Tea Eggs cold or at room temperature. To serve, gently peel away the cracked shells.

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