Chinese Tea Eggs

The first step is to make perfect boiled eggs:

1. Put 6 eggs from the fridge into a pot of cold water (water must be cold and eggs must be cold for best results) and eggs should not be all smashed together in the pot
2. Fill pot with enough water to cover the eggs with 2 inches of water on top
3. Add about 1 tablespoon of salt
4. Bring water to a rolling boil and then shut off heat completely
5. Let the eggs sit on the stovetop in the water for about 10 minutes
6. Pour out most of the water and dump a ton of water on top of the eggs, shocking them with cold
7. Let eggs sit in ice bath for about 1 minute
8. Using either the round edge of a spoon or a counter top, break the eggs in many places and then place back in ice bath for 1 minute
9. Pick up eggs and the shells should slide right off!

Now how to make the egg marinade:

• 4 tablespoons light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (or soy sauce)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 star anise
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 black tea bags (or 2 tablespoons black tea leaves)
• 2 1/2 cups water

1. Put all ingredients (not eggs) into a pot, and bring to a boil.
2. When water is boiling, simmer for about 30 min.
3. Remove from heat.

Now for the fun and easy part - put the egg marinade in a container, put the eggs in (if you want pretty eggs, you can boil the eggs, but instead of peeling the shells off, marinate the eggs with the shells on but with all the tiny cracks. It will look like the eggs are marbled), and put in the fridge over night or for about a day.

Delicious, quick breakfast that's also fun to make. :-)