Marbled tea eggs
Cracking cooked eggshells lets tea and spices draw a marbled pattern on the egg underneath.
- Prep
- 12 min
- Cook
- 13 min
- Rest / wait
- 12 hr
- Total
- 12 hr 25 min
- Makes
- Makes 8 eggs
Your new skill: Start with preparation, then work through one step at a time.
Cracking cooked eggshells lets tea and spices draw a marbled pattern on the egg underneath. The steep happens in the fridge, so plan this snack the day before.
Your ingredients
Get ready: Two saucepans, spoon, bowl and a small lidded fridge container.
- 8 eggs
- 500 ml water
- 2 black teabags
- 1 star anise
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small piece cassia or ordinary cinnamon stick
- ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
Let’s make it
-
Cook the eggs
Lower eggs gently into boiling water and boil for about 9–10 minutes until hard-boiled. Transfer to cold water to cool.
-
Make the tea marinade
In another saucepan, combine 500 ml water with tea, spices, soy sauces, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes, then cool promptly.
-
Crack the shells
When the eggs are cool, tap their shells all around with the back of a spoon, making fine cracks without peeling them.
-
Leave to marble
Put eggs in a snug container, cover with the cooled marinade and refrigerate for 12–24 hours. Peel before eating. You will see the pattern as the shell comes away.
What to try next
For another kitchen idea, explore Garlic pak choi and Egg fried rice.
Keeping it: Cool promptly, put in a covered fridge container within 1–2 hours and use within 48 hours. Reheat only once until steaming hot throughout.
