Traditional Tea Eggs

1.In a medium saucepan, place the eggs and cover them with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2.Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the eggs simmer for 10 minutes. This will ensure they are hard-boiled.

3.After 10 minutes, remove the eggs from the heat and transfer them to a bowl of ice water to cool for about 5 minutes. This will make peeling easier.

4.Once cooled, gently tap each egg on a hard surface to create cracks all over the shell. Be careful not to remove the shell; the cracks will allow the tea mixture to seep in and create the marbled effect.

5.In the same saucepan, combine 4 cups of water, black tea leaves (or tea bags), soy sauce, rice vinegar, star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, Sichuan peppercorns, sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.

6.Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and add the cracked eggs back into the pot. Simmer the eggs in the tea mixture for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 hours for a stronger flavor. The longer they simmer, the more intense the flavor and color will be.

7.After simmering, remove the pot from heat and let the eggs cool in the tea mixture for at least 30 minutes before peeling. For best results, refrigerate the eggs in the tea mixture overnight to enhance the flavor and marbling effect.