Here's a tea leaf boiled egg with oyster sauce, a great snack to munch on. This recipe is from the southern provinces of China. First, the eggs are hard-boiled, then the shells are cracked and the eggs are simmered together with dried tea leaves and Chinese spices. The flavor has a lovely tea aroma, and the taste is subtly sweet thanks to the oyster sauce. It's delicious eaten either hot or cold. Since it's also easy to make, let's try making it now…
Preparation time: 15 mins, Cooking time: 1hr
Ingredients
Eggs – 8-10
Lipton tea bags – 2 bags (or dried black tea leaves – 2 tablespoons)
Five-spice powder – 1/2 tablespoon (Chinese cooking spices can be bought at City Mart)
Light soy sauce – 1½ tablespoons
Dark soy sauce – 1 tablespoon
Salt – 1 teaspoon
Sugar – 2 tablespoons
Ginger – 3 slices
Star anise – 2 pieces
Spring onion – 1/2 bundle (tied together)
Method
1. First, put the eggs into a pot and boil for about 5-8 minutes until fully cooked.
2. Once the eggs are cooked, let them cool briefly, then, as shown in the picture, tap the shells with a spoon to crack them.
3. Crack the shells of the remaining eggs in the same way. Then put (the eggs, Lipton tea, Chinese spices, soy sauce, sugar, salt, ginger, star anise, spring onion) into the pot.
4. Then add 1 liter of water to the pot and simmer on low heat for 1 hour.
Note: After simmering for 1 hour, if you have time, don't take the eggs out right away—letting them soak in the tea liquid longer makes them even better.
5. Let the eggs cool slightly, peel off the shells, and cut each egg into 4 quarters with a knife.
6. Then drizzle oyster sauce on top, sprinkle with a little spring onion, and enjoy!
Credit: Cho Wut Yee (Wutyee Food House)
