Tea Eggs

I love tea eggs. I can't quite explain it, but they are addictive. The general flavor of eggs pairs perfectly with the salt of the soy sauce, and the aromatics of the spices and tea. I like to eat mine with a dab of hot sauce.

A pretty simple recipe and nice photos can be found at:
http://steamykitchen.com/blog/2009/01/17/chinese-tea-eggs-recipe#comment-75844



My personal recipe is similar:
12 eggs
water to cover
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons teriyaki or dumpling sauce
4 bags of black and/or oolong tea - green tea gets too bitter
2 tablespoons chinese 5-spice

Boil the eggs until they are barely hard boiled. At this point, remove them from the water (don't throw the water away) and run them under some cold water. The eggs will be HOT and they will stay hot for a while. Carefully crack the shells with the back of a spoon. The more cracks and the more pieces of shell missing, the darker the egg will be.

Return the eggs to the water and add the flavorings. Bring this mixture to a boil. Let the pot boil for half an hour, then turn the heat down to low. You can then continue to let the eggs stew in the hot water for a few hours (2 or 3), or you can remove from the heat altogether and place the eggs (in the liquid) in the refrigerator overnight. Peel and eat when the mood strikes.