A Teahouse Favorite
One of our most asked about teahouse recipes is our Chinese tea eggs, famous for their savory flavor and wonderful aroma, which you may have experienced if you’ve ever been to our teahouse inside of Lan Su Chinese Garden.
Tea eggs are simple to make but they do require a few special ingredients and a lot of time on the stovetop — truly a stay-at-home project. You will need a dozen eggs, star anise (we use whole), soy or tamari sauce, and lapsang souchang tea (also known as “pine smoked black”. Alternately, another black tea or puer can be used.)
Directions:
1. Boil a dozen eggs in water for about 10 minutes.
2. Drain, let cool, then gently and evenly crack the shells. A helpful technique is to crack eggs against each other (see picture).
3. Submerge the eggs in water and add ¼ cup star anise, ¼ cup lapsang souchang (or alternate teas listed above), and 1/5 cup soy or tamari sauce.
4. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for several hours, adding more water when needed. The longer you cook them, the tastier they will be!
5. You can eat the egg whole or cut it in half, adding more soy or tamari sauce and garnishing with onions, sesame seeds and more.