Dad's 茶叶蛋 (Tea Eggs) Recipe

[niangao]

One of my favorite "snacks" is a lot easier to make than I anticipated:

1. Boil eggs for approximately 10 minutes.
2. Crack boiled eggs (with a heavy knife handle, for example).
3. Add a small handful of 八角 (star anise).
4. Add some tea leaves or a tea bag or two.
5. Add a lot of salt.
6. Add 老抽 (dark soy sauce) for coloring.
7. Bring everything to boil once again.
8. Turn off the stove and let the eggs soak in the mixture (preferably overnight).