Five-spiced Tea Eggs

Wu Syang Cha Ye Dan

1.8 litres(3 pints) water

6 eggs, at room temperature

TEA-LIQUID MIXTURE

500ml water

2 tablespoons Chinese black tea

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1tablespoon light soy sauce

2teaspoons five-spice powder

1teaspoon roasted ground Sichuan peppercorns

1teaspoon salt

Eggs are rarely eaten as a plain dish by themselves in Chinese cuisine, but they do lend themselves to imaginative combinations. These marbled eggs are one such unusual and delicious treat.

1. Bring the water to the boil in large saucepan, add the eggs and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs and immediately plunge them in cold water, then gently crack the shells with a large spoon under cold run-ning water until the entire shell is a network of cracks. Leave them in the cold running water for at least 10 minutes.

2. Bring all the ingredients for the tea-liquid mixture to a simmer in a saucepan, then add the cracked eggs to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and leave the eggs in the liquid to cool. If you have the time, leave the eggs in the liquid overnight in the refrigerator.

3. When you are ready to serve the eggs, gently peel off the cracked shells and serve.

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