The process of making tea eggs is actually an art that requires meticulous skill and patient waiting. First, wash the eggs carefully, making sure there are no residues. Then put them in a pot, add enough water and boil over medium heat for 10 minutes. This step is to prepare the eggs for the initial cooking, which is ready for subsequent seasoning and flavoring.
Next, use a wooden spatula or iron spoon to gently tap the shell of the egg to create a crack on its surface. This is done to allow the seasoning liquid to penetrate better inside the egg, making the tea eggs more delicious.
Then, put various spices into the pot, such as green onions, ginger, cinnamon, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, etc. These seasonings are all designed to enhance the flavor of the tea eggs and give them a unique aroma and taste.
Next is the step of adding the tea leaves, which is the key to making the tea eggs. The type of tea can be chosen according to personal taste, such as black tea, green tea, oolong tea, etc. Tea not only adds a unique aroma to the eggs, but also makes them more nutritious.
Then, add salt, dark soy sauce, sugar, and five-spice powder. These seasonings are all to further increase the flavor of the tea eggs, and can be increased or decreased according to your own taste.
Then pour in a small half bowl of cooking wine, turn on high heat and bring to a boil, then turn to low heat and cook for about 40 minutes. The purpose of this step is to allow the eggs to fully absorb the flavor of the seasoning and make the tea eggs more flavorful.
Finally, add another spoonful of salt and cook for about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the tea eggs soak in the soup for about half a day to make it more flavorful. If you want more flavored tea eggs, you can also put them in the rice cooker to keep warm for about half a day. The tea eggs boiled in this way are more delicious and delicious, and people will have an endless aftertaste.