Tea Leaf Eggs

SINGAPORE / MALAYSIA

Tea leaf eggs are a Chinese street snack that’s much loved in Singapore and Malaysia. The key ingredient here is the star anise, which, along with the cassia and the fragrant black tea, perfumes not just the eggs, but your whole kitchen. You can often track down a place selling these eggs – most usually in pasar malams (makeshift markets) or Chinese herbal shops – by literally sniffing around. Traditionally, the cracked eggs are simmered with the tea and spices for hours, but I find the rubbery whites and powdery yolks too much of an acquired taste for the British. I steep the eggs in the spiced brew overnight, and bring them to the boil briefly to warm them up the next day. By cracking the shells, the flavour and colour of the spiced brew seep through the cracks, infusing the eggs with a wonderful aroma and giving them a beautiful marbled appearance.

Makes 6
  1. Bring 750ml of water to the boil and add the tea leaves, soy sauce, spices, clementine zest and sugar, to taste. Let simmer for at least 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the hard-boiled eggs. Put room temperature eggs in a single layer in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to the boil over a high heat, and once boiling, turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water, covered, for exactly 6 minutes. Pour off the hot water and run the eggs under cold water until cool enough to handle. Lightly tap the eggs all over to crack the surface.
  3. Place the eggs in a large container or jar and pour the spiced brew over, making sure all the eggs are submerged. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate overnight, or even up to 3 days. The longer you steep them, the deeper the colour and stronger the flavour.
  4. When ready to serve, heat the eggs up by returning them to the saucepan with their marinade and bring gently to a simmer.
  5. Peel the eggs. They should have pretty marbled brown lines running all over. When cut, the whites should be quite firm and the yolks golden and creamy, but with a grey tinge around the edges – this is the result of the tea marinade and not a sign of overcooked eggs.
  6. Serve warm, with a little of the spiced tea broth spooned over.