Chinese Tea Eggs

Name: Chinese Tea Eggs (Air Fryer)
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 13 min
Yield: 6 eggs
Ingredients: 6 eggs; 2 cups [For the braising liquid (soak after air frying)] water; 3 tablespoons [For the braising liquid (soak after air frying)] soy sauce; 1 tablespoon [For the braising liquid (soak after air frying)] dark soy sauce (for color, or use regular and add 1 teaspoon molasses); 2 tablespoons [For the braising liquid (soak after air frying)] black tea leaves (or 3 tea bags); 2 [For the braising liquid (soak after air frying)] star anise pods; 1 [For the braising liquid (soak after air frying)] cinnamon stick; 1 teaspoon [For the braising liquid (soak after air frying)] sugar; 1/2 teaspoon [For the braising liquid (soak after air frying)] salt; [For the braising liquid (soak after air frying)] Optional: 1 strip dried orange peel, 2 cloves

Yield

Prep

Total

6 eggs

13m

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Transform ordinary hard-boiled eggs into flavorful Chinese tea eggs. This variation uses a cracked-shell technique to create a beautiful marble pattern as the soy and tea seep in. You'll get the full recipe for the braising liquid using soy sauce, tea leaves, and star anise, plus air frying instructions.

Ingredients

6 eggs

For the braising liquid (soak after air frying):

2 cups water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (for color, or use regular and add 1 teaspoon molasses)
2 tablespoons black tea leaves (or 3 tea bags)
2 star anise pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional: 1 strip dried orange peel, 2 cloves

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Steps

01Air fry the eggs for 12 minutes (hard boiled). Ice bath for 5 minutes.
02Gently crack each egg all over by rolling it on the counter with your palm. You want a web of cracks covering the entire shell. Don't peel. The cracks are the point.
03Bring all braising liquid ingredients to a boil in a saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes to bloom the spices.
04Place the cracked eggs in the warm braising liquid. Let soak in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
05Peel to reveal the beautiful marbled pattern where the liquid seeped through the cracks.

The marble pattern is the signature of a tea egg. The soy sauce and tea seep through the cracks and dye the white in a web pattern, while the uncracked areas stay pale. The longer you soak, the deeper the pattern and the more flavorful the egg. Overnight is ideal. The star anise and cinnamon give the egg a warm, aromatic flavor you won't find in any other egg preparation. These are a street food staple across East Asia.

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