These are wonderful served all by themselves in lieu of traditional deviled eggs, but also incredibly delicious as accompaniments to salads, soups, noodles, and rice bowls.

Gunpowder Tea Eggs

Serves:  8 to 10 | Prep, Cook Time:  12 hours 

INGREDIENTS

12 large brown eggs

½ cup soy sauce

¼ cup sake or dry sherry

1 tablespoon Chinese five spice

2 teaspoons sugar

3 slices peeled, fresh ginger

1 teaspoon whole Sichuan or black peppercorns

1 teaspoon coarse salt

3 bags Gunpowder Green Tea, or oolong or jasmine

TECHNIQUE

To begin, make sure the eggs sit at room temperature for about an hour – cold eggs are more likely to cracker during the cooking process. 

Combine the soy sauce, sake, sugar, ginger, five spice, peppercorns and salt in a medium saucepan.  Add three cups of water with tea bags, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to a simmer while preparing the eggs; then allow to cool a bit. 

Bring a deep saucepan filled halfway with water to a boil, then carefully (yet quickly) add the eggs to the water with a slotted spoon – allow to cook for 6 minutes for a jammy egg, 7 minutes for set-yolks, and 8 to 10 minutes for hard-boiled yolks.  When desired time is reached, remove eggs one at a time, and submerge in a bowl of ice-cold water.  Allow eggs to cool, then remove. 

Tap the shells of the eggs with a spoon to create a marbled presentation – taking care to make some cracks larger than others.  For solid tea-colored eggs, remove all the shells.  Transfer eggs to the soy mixture and submerge completely; then allow to rest in the fridge for at least 12 hours or up to 2 days.  Before serving, peel eggs completely to reveal marbled tea-stained patterns.