Caramelized Sugar Tea Eggs

Yun Hai Founder Lisa Cheng Smith wrote a new recipe using Caramelized Sugar Soy Sauce, a perfect shortcut for tea eggs and braises where you want a deep color and old style flavor.

Caramelized Sugar Tea Eggs 焦糖糖心蛋

Makes 6 Eggs

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup Caramelized Soy Sauce
• 2 tbsp of Red Oolong Tea
• 2 pieces of star anise
• 1 piece cassia bark or cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp Taiwanese Frost Salt
• 2 tbsp of red rock sugar
• 4 cups of water

Instructions

1. Gently tap the blunt end of each egg with a wooden spoon to introduce a hairline crack. This will allow air to escape during cooking, avoiding that “flat end” that appears in hardboiled eggs.
2. Put the eggs into a bowl on top o fa Tatung steamer insert. Add a half rice cup of water to the outer pot and steam for roughly 10 minutes. If you aren’t using a Tatung steamer, boil the eggs for about 6-7 minutes, until the whites are fully set.
3. Rinse the eggs in cold water to cool them for handling. Then, tap them all over with the back of a wooden spoon to crack the shells. Don’t do this too hard or the shells will fall off during the soak.
4. Put the eggs and all the rest of the ingredients (including the water) into the Tatung inner pot. Add one cup of water to the Tatung outer pot and steam for about 30 minutes. Let cool, then put in the fridge to marinate overnight. If you aren’t using a Tatung steamer, you can simply do this in a saucepan on the stovetop.
5. The next day strain the marinade (which can be saved if you want to use it again). Peel the eggs and serve as a snack on its own or as a side dish to a larger meal.

Note #1: it’s ok for the tea leaves and spices to float free in the marinade, but if you prefer, tie them up in a cheesecloth.

Note #2: if you really can’t embrace the chalky yolk, you can simply soak your soft-boiled, cracked shell eggs in a brine for 24 - 48 hours in the fridge. Just be sure to simmer the brine for a few minutes first so the tea will properly brew, then let it cool down before you introduce the eggs.

Recipe by: Lisa Cheng Smith